First month of classes: Remembering how to be a student

It's kind of hard to believe I've already been in Germany for over 2 months and have been taking classes for a month. It's about the half-way point of my stay here.


The week or so before classes started I met some of the international students through the other Eastern students and did a little bit of exploring in the area. It's nice having two of the dorms pretty near each other and it makes it easy to get to know other people by hanging out in the kitchens since there isn't a real other place to hang out in the flats. And I finally met all of my roommates which took a while since almost everyone was still on vacation when I first got here.

Three of us took a day trip to Marburg to explore around the castle and old town.

A Medieval festival/market was also going on around that time. So Kaity and I went with two friends who had never been to such an event. It was fun to watch their expression when they saw everyone in costumes fitting of not only the timeframe, but also the region for each cultural group.

I then had to remember how to be a student. Well, learn how to be a German student. It's weird only having to be prepared for a course by reading instead of doing hours of homework a night. The classes are also only once a week and 90 minutes each, which is also a change. I don't have that kind of attention span for subjects I completely understand, let alone theoretical musical and dramatic texts in German. I also learned that the US has a primarily practical approach to teaching music where as in Germany it varies by university and "tada", I landed in a theoretical based one. I can't really explain what this has done to my thinking process, but I've very happy the course with the more ancient texts has us read the English translations.

 So after four weeks, my head doesn't hurt as much every Monday and Tuesday (which are the only days I have real class), I still have to fight to stay awake and attentive for 90 minutes-usually I entertain myself by trying to place dialects/accents, and I have most of my presentation topics picked. Now just to spend hours researching. Oh and Giessen doesn't have that great of a library so there will probably be many trips made to Frankfurt and Marburg on my long weekend to use their resources.

On a good note, my roommates say my German has already improved. And that I don't sound Dutch like one of my classmates said. I sound almost normal. And I'll take that.

Pre-Semester Adventures Part 2: An American in Rome.

    I meant to write this 2 weeks ago...then the semester started. Oops. But anyway, here it is.

    My journey continued with a night ferry from Split to Ancona, Italy. Which was fine until the morning when a storm had rolled into Ancona and it made moving around my cabin, let alone getting up the stairs, a bit more challenging. I had ran into a girl from Split when boarding the ferry and met up with her again when we arrived in Ancona. Since both of us had hours to spend in Ancona and she spoke Italian we hung around together until her train left.

   I don't really know how to comment on the people in the train station. Other then I blame them for getting me sick. Which is probably mean of me, but they really weirded me out and I was already feeling crappy- the pre-sick feeling where all of your nerves are super sensitive and it hurts to do anything; sit, wear clothes, etc. I mostly blame it on the really terrible perfume the one lady kept spraying to "make it smell better". I thought my brain was going to gush through my nose. Cue migraine. So yeah. Not the best start for things.

   As I forced myself to sleep as much of the way to Rome as I could, I felt myself getting sicker every time I woke up. Pretty sure I was scaring the people sitting beside me. Oh well. Leave me here to die, really, that would have been much better. So most of my time was spent trying to get over being sick and get a normal voice back.

   I was going to list specifics of what I did in Rome, but I forgot most of them by now, but I figure the Romans will add what I forget in the comments (hint, hint).  Lucky for me, I got to spend my first time in Rome with natives. Not only did I get to see the tourist sites, but also the every day aspects. It was nice to spend sometime with family. Especially my cousins. Finally seeing each other for more than a few days in passing and having the biggest language barrier being my lack of voice. After traveling alone for a week or so, it was nice to have people to talk to that you would see more than once. Which led to my apparent apathy of deciding what to do. 1. I was glad that someone else would, potentially, have to decide what to do. 2. Was trying to not being completely tourist-y and be like this:

                                                 

 So to keep this from being even more long-winded, I will give an abridged version of my 10 days in Rome.

First- There was a lot of rainy days and I learned that the Romans freak out when it rains. Already being sick and knowing I'm neither sweet enough nor evil enough to melt meant I was still going to be a tourist, despite the weather. 

• The Mouth of Truth and the church with which it is now associated.
• Piazza Venezia and the museums inside the "Typewrite", Immigration Museum and some sort of war history museum (Marco, some help please) and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
• Pantheon
• Piazza Navona-where I ate this delicious little chocolate truffle-like thing called a tartufo
• Met up with the girl from the ferry at the Spanish Steps
• Piazza della Republica, walked up to the Villa de Medici

• Spent the day hanging out in the Knights of Columbus office with Aunt Susie, watched the Swiss Guards and later the new Pope drive by when leaving the Vatican
• St. Peter's Basilica
• the "fake Moses" statue
• Trevi fountain- I personally think that is how Europeans get rid of 1 and 2 cent coins
• Easter in Ostia

• St. Paul's Outside the Walls
• St. Maria Maggiore (three out of four papal basilicas aren't bad, right?)
• Cousins time at the Palantine, Colosseum, and Roman Forum
• Romulus' Temple and Cosma e Damiano 
• The real Moses at St. Peter in Chains
• Two Caravaggio paintings tucked away in the less important of three churches right next to each other
• Piazza di Popolo
• Santa Maria di Popolo
• Necropolis underneath the Vatican
• the Vatican Museums
•  Saving the best for last- the Sistine Chapel        

Those were most if not all of the tourist attractions I saw- I'm probably missing another handful of churches that just blurred into one. Staying with natives; however, means one gets to see a different side of the city. Marco was made my tour guide since we were both on "vacation" and poor Maria Cristina was still in school. We went out to dinner with his friends a few nights; a traditional Italian dinner, pizza, and bruschetta, and of course, gelato or just to grab drinks. He also took me to his "second home", the La Strada center in the Garbatella neighborhood and to the San Lorenzo center and the occupied theater. The family I was staying with made me dinner a few nights, I think I was bullied into coffee on a daily basis by the grandmother...but since we didn't speak the same language, I'm not entirely sure. 

Of course I recovered from what ever sickness I had right before I was to come home (home=my dorm in Giessen). But overall, I enjoyed my first trip to Rome and since I tossed a coin into the Trevi Fountain I know it won't be my last.

Pre-Semester Adventures Part 1: In which I trade winter and history lessons for spring and palm trees.

    I will divide my almost three weeks of travels into two posts. That way more pictures can be seen and you all can get a little update while I scramble to get everything written down.

   I had the luck of things falling right into my lap during this journey. Even from the first train ride, there was something or someone to help me figure out what I was doing. The guy across from me on the train to Vienna had been there just a few months ago. His recommendations lined up with that of Lisa- alas, happenstance number one.

  I spent three days in Vienna. Even though I happened to bring the bad weather with me, the city was still beautiful. I don't think you could make Vienna ugly. I arrived later in the evening so the first night I just roamed around the Mariahilferstrasse and window shopped because almost everything had closed by 7PM. Except for a bookstore. So of course I had to spend sometime there...and by my reading my material for the many, many hours on trains. The next morning I explore the area farther away from my hostel and found the Museum Quartier full of artwork.

     I found the main shopping street, the outdoor market and having not realized how far I had walked, the opera house. I had heard about "Stehplatz" tickets for the opera-really cheap tickets, with the main downside being you stand up in the balconies for three hours. I had checked a schedule somewhere and saw that nothing was playing until I was leaving, but I saw a play bill for an opera posted outside. "Le nozze di Figaro" by Mozart. Not something a music student can pass up. Knowing I would have to wait in line for a while, hoping to get in, I made a quick stop by the Stephansdom since I was nearby. Of course I timed it so mass was going on and couldn't really see anything.

View from my Stehplatz

     My view was actually really good for the opera and I didn't have to wait as long as I had thought. I was across from the orchestra so I could hear the both the singing and the instruments very well. I could see almost all of the stage except for a little bit off to the side. I was thankful that they have little screens with the translations on the railings by the Stehplaetze. Little did I know that would just be a taste of how much Italian would confuse me.  Afterward I walked to a brewery that had been recommended - Siebenstern Brauerei. I think they could make beer out of anything. A speciality of theirs is hemp beer-noted many places on the menu that it does not produce any other effects associated with hemp.

 

      I spent my last day walking around museums and a palace. I got the combined ticket for the Sisi Museum, Hapsburg apartments and the Schoenbrunn palace. The imperial family(ies) used a lot of china and silverware, just saying. Everyone had their own taste and when they came into power it was time to change the china pattern...again. It was impressive, don't get me wrong. But a lot of dishes. I found the Sisi museum more enjoyable as I didn't really know anything about Sisi before hand. I had heard of her, but hadn't paid much attention. I highly suggest taking the audioguide if anyone goes-it's really informative and ties the different historical facts together. I skipped going to the furniture museum because I didn't really want to look at chairs I couldn't sit in after walking all day, plus I have a year to go back with my same ticket. 

     My last historical stop of the day was to the Schoenbrunn palace. This time I got my timing right. There was an Easter market in front of the palace selling various Easter related wares, pastries, drinks, and most specifically - Gluehwein. This is a mulled wine drink that is usually only served around Christmas, but probably due to the cold spring, they still had it around. I took a windy stroll around the trying to bloom gardens with my Gluehwein, I felt almost like royalty. The inside of the palace was beautiful. Gold, marble, paintings. Everything you would expect from a line of royal families. Doing the main museums in one day was a lot of walking but helped with the history. Each place had an audioguide and listening to it tell a story for the third time with just a few different facts made remember the history easier. I may have actually learned something. 

Second happenstance: my roommate in Vienna was from Budapest.

   
     I went to Budapest not really knowing what to expect, not having planned much of anything, and all around just winging it. It turned out to be one of my favorite cities. I wish I had spent more time there. Even though I did bring the rain with me.

  Also, the money made me feel like I was rolling in the dough. The picture above equals about $30, but it still feels nice to pull out a bill with so many zeros on it. The money is just a glimpse of how eclectic the culture is. 

   Since I brought the rain with me and it was dark by the time I left the hostel I decided to find the famed thermal baths. 

   I had to walk through the city park to get to the most famous ones, Szechenyi. There is a castle that is supposed to be the "Dracula" castle, when found at night, it's very believable. In the light of day, one can see how it's been worked on through out the different centuries since almost each side is done in a different style. Then it was time to act like a native. 

   It was nice to laze around in the warm water, floating in and out of the steam, just watching the stars and rain. The most confusing part of the experience is figuring out how to get from the entrance to the locker room, then the locker room to the pools. Most signs are only in Hungarians, which is only helpful if there are pictures or you run into a Hungarian. I also discovered just how welcome the sound of a Midwest accent is. I found a trio of students who had/were studying in Denmark. One was from Wisconsin and the other two from Bonn, Germany. They told me about a free walking tour offered every morning. Well, hello plans for the next day. 

   Unless someone knows a lot about Budapest, you will be surprised at how much of the city (well, both cities) you don't see in a 2.5 hour walking tour. I didn't realize how much there was to the city. Both Buda and Pest have their own "personalities" and importance to history. I was also surprised by how many ruins of the former palace and other buildings on the hills of Buda they preserved after the wars. The guide informed us that punctuality isn't one of the Hungarians' main traits, so a lot of buildings were supposed to be repaired and they just haven't gotten to them yet. 

Found Zoltan Kodaly hanging out by the President's house.

   The guide actually asked if I lived near Budapest because I knew so much of the history already. Ha. Visiting Vienna first had its perks - learned all about the Hapsburgs and their influence on Hungary. I think not understanding what most people were saying made it easier just to walk around and enjoy the city without being distracted by catching glimpses of conversations. 

A fence of locks for love...take the handcuffs how you will.

  Budapest is known for its nightlife, but being the old-soul I am, going out by myself was a bit intimidating so I just took the tram around the river instead.

    No picture can do justice to how beautiful both sides of the river are at night. I just stopped trying because I knew I couldn't capture it. I really wish I had more exciting things to say about Budapest. I walked around in all types of weather, ates lots of bacon and potatoes, tried the local wine and beer, relaxed in the baths, and started my collection of pictures of martyrs' body parts (Saint Stephan's hand is in the basilica). And I knew I was ready to get away from winter and take a break from history lessons.

    There is nothing quite like running to your train because the metro was off schedule. Especially when there is only one train per day to your next destination. And you end up in the wrong part of the train and have to migrate part way through the journey. This lead to another happy accident. I ended up sitting next to a girl from Australia who was staying in the same hostel in Zagreb. For once I may not get lost in a city! I spent less than a day in Zagreb but it earned points by not really raining on us and letting us walk around without coats.

   And it had a tiny carousel.

    

    And good pizza. It also has the museum of broken relationships which I didn't have time to see, but would have liked to.

   I took the bus from Zagreb to Split. Going from the northern part of the country to the coast let's you see a lot of different landscapes. It reminded me of traveling through the States. Also, you can't beat arriving into a coastal city at sunset.

   Seeing the palm trees and the water put me instantly into vacation mode. The weather was chilly for the natives, but not for someone used to snow. They were bundled up in parkas and I'm walking around in a light sweater. The first night, I met two of my hostel roommates, a pair of Brazilian brothers, Fernando and Ricardo. We attempted to find some nightlife. We found the sketchy stuff and ended up going to a club more into the residential part of the city. Thursday nights are the after work parties, but those middle-aged ladies knew how to dance. I was impressed. They also had a band that would perform live music. Hearing a Croatian singing "Gangam Style" followed by two songs in Portuguese is something else. Also the Brazilians went crazy with the Portuguese and went into something that looked like interpretive dance. I keep forgetting about the different smoking laws and I'm pretty sure some of my clothes still smell like smoke from that night.

  One of the most interesting things about Split is that its old palace is actually in use. People have apartments there. I spent most of a day walking around the palace, not knowing if I was on a real path or walking into someone's walkway. It was interesting to be surrounded by something so old that is still "living". I also spent a lot of time on the Riva (the waterfront promenade). The weather was so nice I would just sit out there and read or people watch. 

  I also went to one of the beaches. It was supposedly not a very clean beach and the water wasn't very clear. I think whoever wrote that needs to use a dictionary. It all looked pretty darn clear to me. I walked in the Adriatic, much to the alarm of the bundled natives. A few older men were braver and were actually swimming.

  I climbed up the Marjan (they say it was once a volcano, I don't believe them. It doesn't look anything like a volcano. It looks like a hill). Visited the little zoo on the way up, if one could consider it a zoo. Guinea pigs, sheep, ducks and a few exotic animals (a bear, wolf, and tiger) hardly constitute a zoo in my opinion. The views from the various look-out points were beautiful and the foliage reminded me of Australia/New Zealand.

    I just did of a lot of relaxing and hoping I didn't get sunburnt. I had to stay a day longer than I had planned because there weren't any night ferries to Italy on Saturday night. I spent most evenings hanging out in the hostel with the other travelers, watching tv, drinking beer/wine and talking about our travels. It was nice to finally have a real "vacation".

Night Ferry

  Thus was the first week of my travels. Not as exciting as some would have hoped, but I was happy with it. For once while traveling I could do what I wanted, when I wanted. I now know the pros and cons of traveling alone. The next adventures take place in Italy, primarily Rome. Stay tuned. 

Off to a Good Start

A good start to my first day in Germany 

In the past week of being in Germany I have learned a few things.
1. Trams are a great invention. Buses, not so much.
2. German bureaucracy is almost the same as the American kind.    
3. My sense of direction is not self-callibrating.
4. Snow is much better when fully caffeinated.                                               

I spent my first weekend in Germany roaming around Duesseldorf with Lisa. We spent a few very caffeinated days roaming through the various parts of the city, visiting the old castle and gardens, the promenade, the old city, many cafes and saw the Bryan Adams photo exhibit. It was interesting to see how the old city went from quiet during the day to crowded in the evening. Also, apparently a lot of older people stay out in the old city with the young'uns. Or it was just because I was there and needed to make sure my creepy-people-meter was still working. It's odd getting ID'ed to enter a club then getting asked to dance by a man resembling Elmer Fudd....none the less is was still enjoyable.

On Monday I hopped a few trains and made it into Giessen. This lead to 3 problems. 1. The university is all over the city so there are no signs clearly stating where to go, especially not on the bus route signs. 2. I don't know how to work the bus system. 3. I only had until 3: 00 to move into my room and I arrived a little before 1. This is why I love trams. They go in circles. Buses involve numbers and finding the right ones that link to get to the right place. A few frantic calls and a taxi ride later and all was resolved. I did get moved in on time and was given a laundry list of things to get done to fully register.

Hence bureaucracy. Visa, bank account, student ID, insurance, register address. They all need to be done and in just the right order. Also I was told this all had to be done right away. The very nice lady at the secretary of students office told me I couldn't do much until April and to go home and relax and sleep. Wonderful angel of a woman. 

Most of you probably know my sense of direction already leaves a lot to be desired. Well in a foreign country it is that much worse. I've spend a good bit of the last 3 days lost in the city or roaming around, pretending to not be lost. I think I have it figured out now...I think. If little kids can roam around and get on the bus by themselves, I can do it too. Just make sure I have my coffee.

And lastly, I seem to have brought the snow with me. They seem to be a little lax on the salting and plowing part of dealing with snow over here. It is rather nice to watch from your window and you enjoy your first cup of coffee at 2pm and when it's not hitting you in the face with pelting force. 

On a good note, I did most of my bureaucratic discussions in German. I left thinking I would have a lot of work to do with my speaking and I am happy to say I no longer think that. It also surprises many of the locals when I say I've been learning the language for 9 years and came here to learn more. So I leave this post with a ticket to Vienna in my bag and more confidence in being able to get by. 

View from my flat.

Same view 24 hours later.

Castle in Duesseldorf

Bacon Pancake. Yes, it's a thing.