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Oliver in Spain: Personal Growth

October 27, 2014

My previous posts have been full of various activities and travels that I have been experiencing throughout the last two months and my future posts will probably be along the same vain. That being said, I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about the changes in my confidence, maturity, and self-awareness.

I have now been out of my comfort zone of the American East Coast for a couple months and I have been having the time of my life. But, this semester hasn’t always been fun and easy, the first two weeks were some of the most challenging weeks I have had in my life. Entering a completely new country with a different language was a bold move that threw me into the deep end from day one. I was picked up by my host mother upon arrival and immediately was thrown into Spanish conversation (keep in mind that I hadn’t spoken Spanish since April of last year…). This was quickly followed by a full introduction to every member of my host family. Needless to say, my brain was spinning by the time I lay down for the night.

The next few days were no easier. I was transitioning to a new culture while also not being permitted to speak English in class, at school, or at home. It is hard enough to get to know people that speak the same language as you, but becoming friends and even family with people while only speaking Spanish is easily the hardest thing I have ever had to do. The first two weeks were very difficult, but by week three I was beginning to find comfort in my language abilities.

For all of you who are reading this and are looking to study abroad, I have some advice. Whether you are in a country that speaks your language or not, you will feel overwhelmed. Every country has its own, unique, culture that you will not be used to. Whenever I was feeling overwhelmed I went outside. No matter where you are, fresh air is huge to relax your senses. Go for a run or walk around your new city. It will calm you down and will help to familiarize yourself with this new location. Also, reach out to the students on your program. They are going through the exact same things you are and will be a good resource, even if it means just talking football or baseball.

Overcoming something like this has an incredibly positive effect on your persona. I have never felt so self-assured in my life. Booking flights and apartments, navigating a new city during fall break, and approaching people who know zero english come easy. These are all things that I would still be very hesitant to do had I stayed in the States this semester. As my friend Andy said, “necessity brings about greater development than anything else.” You come to rely on yourself a lot when you have no comfort zone and you have not found someone to trust yet.

I apologize for all of the text but I wanted to inform you guys on what has been going on in my head since coming to Valencia. It has been tough at times, but you don’t grow without facing challenges.

Now for the fun:

This weekend has been full of sports for me, specifically the Valencia Open and another football (soccer) game! I spent pretty much all day friday at the Ágora, a small building that houses the Valencia Open. In this building I checked off one the biggest ticks on my bucket list, watch Andy Murray play. Murray went on to win the tournament!

Ágora

Saturday night I went to my second Valencia football game, and it did not disappoint. In this derby game, Elche (another team from the Valenciano region) came to la Mestalla and took a thrashing from los Che. The final score 3-1! Valencia now stands at fourth place in la Liga, only two points away from first place Barcelona.

Finally, I cannot believe I have not posted a photo of Paella yet, but here is a picture of my Sunday lunch!

This coming weekend I will be heading to Barcelona, so if the post is delayed I apologize in advance! Talk to you all soon.

Comments Off on Oliver in Spain: Personal Growth | Fall 2014, Oliver in Spain | Tagged: Culture, Language, Sightseeing, Spain | Permalink
Posted by OliverinValencia

Diana in Copenhagen: Alone but not Lonely

October 24, 2014

I know this post is very delayed but I have a good reason, I promise! We had a fall break this past week and I had the opportunity to travel around Europe and visit Dublin, London, and Amsterdam. While they were all amazing and I loved each for different reasons, this post focuses on London where I had a very different trip from those I’ve grown used to. Hopefully I’ll get to write about the other cities in another post.

The walk from my hostel to this point was just about 5 minutes long. It was so easy to get to and such a cool place to explore.

If any of you remember my first entry, you’d know that I’ve been lucky enough to make many international friends in my years working at a YMCA summer camp. Many of those friends are strewn about England, so I saw it fit to visit London and meet up with as many as I could in the city. Unfortunately, I forgot to consider the whole concept of people having “lives,” and how they would restrict my friends from abandoning their universities and jobs to parade around London when it was convenient for me. This meant I was unable to connect with many good friends, but it did not mean that I wasn’t going to go to London. Rather than view it as a failure of a trip, I took it as an exciting opportunity to travel alone for the first time.

“Alone” might be too strong a word because I did end up meeting up with some amazing friends, but I stayed in a hostel by myself and was on my own to explore on most days. I did have a friend I could have stayed with in London, but she worked during the day and I chose to stay in a hostel to have more independence with timing and such.

My friend Laura and I met up for dinner and had drinks with this beautiful view of St. Paul’s Cathedral. There are many places like this one (Madison) that give you great views of the city without having to pay the London Eye or the Shard’s high prices.

I can’t say I wasn’t anxious about deciding to face the city on my own (I mean, I’ve seen Taken), but I was eager to use it as a chance to learn something about myself—to learn if I could do it, and to enjoy it too.

It was a great choice.

A few specific things stood out to me as being most notably different when traveling alone including planning, openness, and eating. I’ve outlined my feelings on each as honestly as I could, and I hope you enjoy my insights!

Planning
You can’t rely on anyone else to do the planning when you’re alone. This meant I spent an exorbitant amount of time arranging every aspect of my trip. Where was I to stay? What sights did I want to see? Was I going to stay in London for the whole trip? When and where could I meet up with people? There was no shortage of variables to manage but the organizer in me, which has been dormant as of late, got oddly excited planning out the four days. I even made an itinerary for my parents.

Where to stay was probably the most important decision I had to make since it was most vital to safety and convenience. After spending hours scouring websites, I decided to book three nights in a twelve person mixed room at the Horse & Stables Hostel. The location was nearly perfect as it was just a five-minute walk to the Thames and London Eye, and the hostel boasted great Trip Advisor reviews for solo travelers. I ended up really enjoying the hostel and would recommend it to anyone, solo or otherwise! There was a bar and restaurant right downstairs that gives discounts to hostel patrons, the workers were very friendly and helpful, the facilities were clean, and the location was amazing.

My bed was the one on the top right. It wasn’t too difficult sharing a room with other people, but the mornings were tough to get ready in the dark without disturbing anyone.

Planning activities was also important to me, because I wanted to make the most of my time in the city. London is quite expensive, which directed my research to deciding which attractions were worth visiting and which could be done in a walk-by. I saw all the major sights in city center: The Shard, The London Eye, Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey to name the highlights, and only decided to go into The Tower of London after some friends’ recommendations. I saw everything I wanted and then some, and the foresight helped me to save money on the attractions that were less worthwhile.

As my last point on planning, I’d like to say how much I enjoyed signing up for guided tours. I did two group tours during my stay and liked the structure and personal aspect that came with both. It was good to join a group every once in a while to break up the alone time and provide a chance to hear interesting facts on some awesome places. I did a bicycle tour one day that took me around all of London’s major landmarks. My guide was both charismatic and informative, and I only shared the tour with one other girl! It was more like a friend was showing us around than a tour, and it was cool to see the city by bike. I did my second tour my last day and ventured out of the city to visit Oxford University and the Cotswolds. This was a day trip run by London Walks and it’s a great alternative to strictly staying within bounds of the city. Even though I was the only person buying a student discount when the rest of the group was buying senior ones, I loved what this trip had to offer. I would have gotten an incomplete perspective of the places we visited if I had gone alone, and it was worth the money to have an expert paint you a fuller picture. I wouldn’t have known the elaborate backstories or history of each location and the quirky facts each guide shared enhanced the trip exponentially.

This was one of the stops on my bike tour. This was at the Leake Street Tunnel where graffiti art is legal!

his picture is from my trip to the Cotswolds. This village only has a couple dozen people who live there during the week.

Openness
The main reason why I chose hostel-living over crashing on my friend’s couch (for free) was the possibility of meeting new people. I figured making friends for a short while was a superior alternative to being alone every second. I consider myself a friendly and outgoing person and feel comfortable befriending people pretty easily. When you’re traveling with a predetermined group though, as I have done on all my previous trips, you are less likely to seek any kind of deeper connection with the people you come across. You don’t need to. Alone though, you are much more willing to befriend the guy at your hostel you met by the toaster at breakfast, just as I did on this trip. Actually, the night before he was lucky enough to witness me spastically try and plug in the hostel door’s code to use the bathroom. Our second encounter was by the toaster at breakfast.

After a few second exchange, we discovered we were both flying solo and spend a few minutes eating breakfast together. After a bit we decided to tag-team our explorations instead of each going alone and spent the entire day sightseeing to the point where I could hardly walk. We shared a nice fish n chips lunch and sat in the hostel bar having tea to warm up when we got back that evening. Many people I know wouldn’t be open to meeting someone on a whim like this but the friendship felt quite natural to me. I can’t speak for him, but I believe the day was far more enjoyable spent with a buddy than traipsing about the city alone.

The issue of trust and safety should not be ignored, but neither should the value of being open to new people. Being cautious and aware is an absolute necessity, but you can do so without sacrificing opportunities to meet some really interesting people.

Eating
I am an extrovert who thoroughly enjoys being alone. I cherish time by myself in my thoughts and often find it calming. One time where I am less secure in that solitude however, is when I’m eating. For whatever reason I have a personal stigma against eating alone, and these were the times I found most difficult during my trip. As I mentioned earlier, I took a day trip to Oxford and the Cotswolds and really loved the outing. One portion of the excursion was difficult though, and that was when we stopped for an hour in a village of the Cotswolds for lunch. I brought a notebook with me to take notes along the trip, and I think my notes from lunch will give a more honest representation of my feelings than anything I’d try and express after the fact. I wrote:

“Went to a second village for lunch, we had about an hour. This was one place where it was very apparent that I was on my own. I like being on my own, I really do. I didn’t feel awkward of self-conscious at a lunch table for myself at all really, I was more just lacking on what to do.

I didn’t want to be a person staring at my phone by any means, not that I had any service or data to do anything. People watching and taking in my surroundings was an obvious choice of activity but that can only continue for so long before those around you think they’re being observed like zoo animals.

This time was when I was very appreciative of the little notebook I brought with me to take down notes. I feel more connected with my surroundings than I would have staring at a screen and get to document this moment that is an important one, in my opinion, to paint a full picture of my first real experience traveling alone.”

I was at such a loss of what to do I even put my terrible artistic skills to work and sketched my chai latte. It tasted supremely better than it looks in my rendition, believe me.

I found my time traveling alone to be particularly enjoyable. I loved the independence to do things on my own time, thrived on making connections with other travelers, and appreciated what the experience helped me discover about myself as an individual. I just might have caught the travel-bug on this London excursion and I would absolutely do another solo-trip in the future. Maybe onto Morocco next? Only time will tell.

Traveling alone means you get a plethora of awkward solo pics…

…lots and lots of solo pics.

1 Comment | Diana in Denmark, Fall 2014 | Tagged: Adventure, England, Friends, Sightseeing, Travel | Permalink
Posted by dianaincopenhagen

Oliver in Spain: Busy Weeks Call for Relaxation

October 23, 2014

This week I have been putting my nose to the grindstone as it is midterms week. It has pretty much revolved around studying for these exams, however I was able to find some fun in between chapters.

Last weekend my program offered a free (that’s right free!) excursion to a small town in the Valenciano province known as Xátiva. In Valenciano it is pronounced sha-ti-vah, for those of you who were interested. We were given a tour through the city which included a look into its famous church. This church is permitted to bear the symbol of the Vatican because it is one of the only cities in the world that is the birthplace of two Popes.

Collegiate Basilica, built in the 16th century

The catholic history isn’t even the most interesting part of this city. On the cliff tops that protected the city from invasion lies a castle. Lucky for us, we were given the opportunity to hike up to this castle and explore. I took that opportunity to heart and frequently went off the main road to make the trek a little more interesting. When we got to the castle we were rewarded with incredible picturesque views of the rolling mountains that surround this small city.

Castle of Xátiva, built in the 11th century

In addition to this “field trip” my friends and I decided to embrace the European culture and get haircuts. We went to a local peluquería (salón) in Valencia and showed them pictures of popular soccer players while asking the hair dressers to make us look like them. This resulted in the shortest haircut I have ever had, but also resulted in the best game of soccer I have ever played with 4 goals…there’s no way that was just a coincidence.

A shorter version of Paco Alcacer!

Since this has been one of my longest, uninterrupted, stints at home in Valencia, I have become a lot closer with my host family. My host sister has moved to Zaragoza, about three hours north by car, so she is more or less out of the picture for now. My older host brother, Guille, has been busy with late classes so I do not see him very much either, other than the late night movie watching. That leaves Mark. Mark and I have been spending my downtime playing videojuegos and watching dibujos (cartoons). He is a funny little guy who has become very comfortable with me being around. I look forward to coming home so I can beat him in Fifa. He may have Spanish blood but I trained all last semester to play Fifa with the best.

Hermanos

I have big plans for this weekend that include going to see my favorite tennis player, Andy Murray, play in the Valencia Open this friday, going to a home soccer game at la Mestalla on Saturday night, and the beach on Sunday. Even in the midst of a busy week this place never ceases to make me smile. I absolutely love it here and am a little sad that I only have…what…8 weeks left? Gotta make the most of it!!

Leave a Comment » | Fall 2014, Oliver in Spain, Uncategorized | Tagged: Academics, Culture, Host Family, Sightseeing, Spain, Sports | Permalink
Posted by OliverinValencia

Diana in Germany Week Seven: Back Home Blues

October 23, 2014

Sometimes homesickness creeps its way into my almost perfect life here in Freiburg. Posts on Facebook about Homecoming, the autumn colors on University of Richmond’s beautiful campus, and going back home for fall break have made it clear to me that there are things about home that I completely miss. For instance, being over here for fall makes me realize that it is my absolute favorite season in the US.

Last Halloween, my organic chemistry class received extra credit for showing up in costume. I’m in the light blue dress in the middle as Danaerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones.

On a more serious note, my grandmother had heart surgery when I left and a few of my friends back home are having a really tough time. It makes me sad that I am not there to be supportive in all the ways that I normally would be. So how do I handle the nostalgia? How do I keep up with the people and news from back home?

Keeping up with the Fam

You bet we Skype. We actually seem to be talking MORE now that I am abroad than when I am away from home at school in the states. I even get to see my cats, Cookies and Cream over Skype. Weird right? Not exactly. At UR my workload is extremely heavy. I am also a member and leader of multiple extracurricular activities. Occasionally I barely have time to eat. It’s ridiculous. Here in Freiburg I have one class at a time and only spend about 3 hours a day in class and maybe 1 hour tops doing homework. That leaves a ton of time open to socialize with everyone and have adventures in Freiburg plus getting in touch with everyone back home for an hour every few days or so.

My parents and I on Skype call.

My mother even took her computer up to Pennsylvania last weekend and I got to Skype with my grandparents. My grandma is so tired after heart surgery that she had to lay down in the middle of the conversation. I am rooting for my grandma. She is so silly and goofy when she has the energy. I really hope she can pull through the recovery process and feel well again.

A picture with my grandparents right before I left for Freiburg at their home in Lititz, Pennsylvania.

Facebooking Buds from Back Home

Oddly, I have not used Skype with my friends at all. That needs to change, and a group of my friends from Towson, MD want to do a group Ben-and-Jerrys-Netflix call soon.

Expectedly, we connect on Facebook. I love that private group messaging is an option. My best friends from University of Richmond are in one chat group named after a fake sorority we “made” as a joke, RhoRhoRho. My best friends from Towson are all in a chat group labeled Four Fierce Females, named after our recent team name at Applebees trivia this past summer. This is especially awesome because all of us in Four Fierce Females go to different schools and so even when I am not abroad this makes it easy to catch everyone in the group up all at one time. All of these girls have supported me via Internet while I have been here. I feel a lot less close to the people over in Germany because you cannot really make that deep a connection in 7 weeks.

Four Fierce Female last get-together. In order from left to right are Kayla, me, Allison, and Selena.

RhoRhoRho! Hira, Danielle, and I.

Thank goodness I live during this time period because I would have to be no contact except for expensive phone calls and mail without the Internet.

Visiting

A lot of people study abroad at the same time. You have to take advantage of that if you ever go abroad. Exploring a city with a close friend and having free lodging is pretty optimal when you’re a college kid on a budget. Thankfully two really awesome people are really close geographically to me – my cousin, Grace, in London and my best friend, Masnoon, in Paris.

I will be visiting Grace for my all time favorite holiday, Halloween. Here in Germany most people do not celebrate Halloween with the same gusto as we do in the states. Only some little kids in some places dress up and there is very little observation of the traditional trick-or-treating.I know a few clubs and bars holding a special night for Halloween as well. I want to get dressed up, eat candy, and have fun on my Halloween, so it is perfect that I will be going to London where the spirits will come out to play and I won’t look like a total idiot wearing my Peter Pan costume.

Now you have already seen my recent trip to Paris, Orléans, Blois, and Chenonceau with Masnoon. But what you didn’t know is he’s coming to visit me here in Freiburg next week. I cannot wait to show him this city and the surrounding natural beauty. Paris does not suit either of us so much because it is so full of tourists and concrete. Freiburg together will be such an awesome adventure. I fully expect that he and I will check of some of my bucket list items!

Goodbye, friend! It was wonderful to have you visit my new home in Freiburg!

Feelings for Freiburg

Right this second I realized that once my study abroad experience ends I will feel this way about Freiburg too. Now that I have two “home” countries, I will always be a little homesick. What a thought. It doesn’t bother me though. All it means is that two countries have raised me and shaped me into who I am today. That is truly beautiful.

2 Comments | Diana in Germany, Fall 2014 | Tagged: Family, Friends, Germany | Permalink
Posted by dianaingermany

Jack in Czech Republic: My One-Month Mixtape

October 21, 2014

I’ve been in Prague for a little more than a month, and I can’t decide if that’s an eternity or a blink of the eye. On one hand, I feel like I just got here, and I am still in the process of learning the city. Yet midterms (yay, midterms!) are creeping up, which will in a way mark the midway point. At the same time, last week feels like, well, a lot longer than a week ago. Time doesn’t really make sense to me.

Originally I decided to write a one-month summary of my time in Prague. I then realized how boring of a post that would be. So instead, I figured I’d have my pals John Lennon, TLC, and some others help tell my tale. This is my one-month mixtape:

Small Town –John Mellencamp

I’ve lived in small towns for most of my life, so living in the heart of a large city has been an adjustment. So far, so good, though. My one complaint would be the constant noise coming from the street below my second-story window, but the accessibility of, well, everything and the constant activity makes up for the noise. I’ve heard cities are typically expensive, but…

Thrift Shop – Macklemore

Prague is like one massive thrift shop in the sense that everything is so cheap. This creates a problem, however, because since everything is cheap, I buy too many unnecessary things to embrace the cheapness. So because Prague is cheap, I’m spending a lot of money. Makes sense, right?

No Scrubs — TLC

People dress too nicely in Prague, which leaves me, a scrub, trying to keep up. So many sweet shirts, and nice pants! Ugh, all I want to do is go to class in sweatpants.

You Are a Tourist – Death Cab For Cutie

That’s right, Ben Gibbard. I am indeed a tourist. Since I’ve been here for a month, I try to convince myself I’m a local – but, let’s real; I’m not. I still get all googley-eyed walking around this gorgeous city. And the Czech students in my classes sometimes remind me I am a tourist. Thanks guys!

Imagine – John Lennon

Naturally, my favorite spot in Prague is a popular tourist attraction. The John Lennon Wall just has such a sweet aura, though. Students created the wall in the 1980s as a means of protesting against the slowly dying Communist regime. They would decorate it with Lennon quotes, Beatles lyrics, and practically any message of peace. People have continued sharing their messages of peace and love, and the wall seems to transform every few weeks. I’m looking forward to making my fourth trek to the wall this weekend when a few friends visit me.

Tie Up The Tides – Quilt

Additionally, the wall embodied Prague’s underground music scene that existed during the Communist era. Communism is gone, but the music scene remains. There seems to be some cool show every night. I’ve managed to check out a few places, and have yet to leave unhappy. Quilt was my favorite random show I’ve seen here.

Taking Care of Business – Bachman-Turner Overdrive

I swear I do some productive things too. For example, I intern at Transitions Online, an online publication covering Eastern Europe and Central Asia, two or three days a week. Typically, I write a piece for the site’s daily news briefing, which I love. In addition to the work, I’ve met some interesting people from around Europe and have been exposed to a part of the city I probably wouldn’t have explored otherwise.

Save Tonight – Eagle-Eye Cherry

We get social at Transitions, too. One night, a group of us did some trivia-night event, and had a blast. I didn’t help the team too much though. My one contribution: for a name-that-tune portion I nailed Save Tonight when no one else in the group knew it. Score one for Jack.

Ohio – Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young

I go to school too, I promise. My favorite course thus far has been a 1960s and 1970s U.S. history course. Before registration, I knew I wanted to take some sort of American history course so I could compare it to American teachings. I pounced on this course as soon as I could, since this era is so fascinating. I hoped for a new perspective, and wow, did I find one. My ultra-traditional professor and my forward-thinking class constantly clash, which creates great discussion. In one discussion, he blamed the students for the Kent State shootings. In another discussion, he mentioned his distaste for Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. So here you go professor, CSNY criticizing the government for the Kent State shootings.

Rather Be – Clear Bandit featuring Jess Glynne

Yes it’s cheesy. Yes it’s cliché. But right now, there’s nowhere I’d rather be than Prague. The past month has been incredible.

Thanks for reading!

Selfie of the week: Because I am an egotistical millennial, here is the selfie of the week:

You’re in luck… Two selfies!

The only bad part about our trip to Krakow was the eight-hour bus rides. And even they weren’t terrible.

Doug slept, though. Lame.

Comments Off on Jack in Czech Republic: My One-Month Mixtape | Fall 2014, Jack in Czech Republic | Tagged: Culture, Czech Republic, Sightseeing | Permalink
Posted by jackinczechrepublic2014

Diana in Germany Week Six: Ecology and Management of Forests

October 20, 2014

My second class of the semester is already over! Also about 35% done my stay in Germany to put things in perspective. So these past few weeks in Ecology and Management of Forests in Southwestern Germany and the Swiss Alps we have gone on field excursions a total of 6 times, and they were all amazing.

Schauinsland

Our first excursion was an all day hike at the nearby Shauinsland hill. We took a bus up the mountain to save time, and we made it to the summit by foot shortly afterwards. There is a tower on top, but we decided not to climb as it would not have offered more of a view that foggy morning. Here we discussed how the Black Forest, Rhine River Valley, and Vosges Mountains were formed by the shifting of tectonic plates millions of years ago.

As we walked down through the hill paths we stopped to talk about the economy, the shift from grazing meadow to coniferous forests for timber, and the forest diebacks Germany experienced in the late 1900’s. We saw beech trees that are naturally predominant in this area and also many Douglas firs that have been introduced for timber and tree coverage.

Unfortunately I did not bring my camera on this trip, so no photos. Sorry!!

Rhine River Valley

Our next field trip brought us to the border of France and Germany, which is delineated by the Rhine River itself. It was intriguing to see that the land and vegetation were different on opposite sides of the river!

The Rhine River. France on the left and Germany on the right. In class a point was made how the banks look different and have different vegetation.

We studied the signs of flooding that frequently occurs in riparian areas. For instance, there were trees that were slanted and buildup of vegetative litter that had been carried by floodwaters. Closest to the rivers there were only new grasses and sometimes no vegetation at all since species had not been able to establish since the last flood. Trees were further up the banks. The rocks also gave it away. Smaller, finer sediment deposits higher up on the banks because it travels in the water whereas the largest rocks stay put near the river.

Flood waters made these trees bend and stay slanted.

Our next stop on the trip brought us to the side channel of the Rhine. Here we discussed the human impacts that literally shaped the river. Way back when there were many small side channels and more bends in the river. The riparian areas were relatively undisturbed and stretched a lot wider geographically than they do currently. All of this changed through a serious of straightening and damming projects. Now there are only two major channels with fewer curves. This was wonderful economically as it straightened and shortened the river, so shipping and boating took shorter periods of time. Unfortunately it exposed villages to flooding and destroyed huge areas of riparian habitat.

To reduce flooding and promote a more natural ecology, the Integrated Rhine Program was established. So far 3 out of 13 projects have been completed. It takes a long time to restore riparian ecosystems, but one step at a time things should improve.

Coventwald

Forestry relies on scientific research nowadays and Coventwald is one such research forest. Our guide for that day has been studying chemical deposition rates in the forest depending on tree type/amount of tree cover. The factors that increase chemical deposition in forests are the leaf area index and age of the trees. basically chemicals in the air (a lot now input by industries and humans) stick to leaves and then when it rains the chemicals wash off the leaves and deposit themselves into the soil. When soil chemistry changes, some trees are not as suited to the environment.

This is an example of the equipment used to get water out of soil.

The major results of the studies so far have been the following:

Higher deposition under canopy and in soil of spruce trees than under beech trees
Soils are becoming more acidic
Nitrate levels have decreased

The coolest part of the trip was walking up a research tower. We had an amazing view from there, but it was scary! The stairs were wet, so walking up to and down from the top made me think I was on Fear Factor or The Amazing Race. At the top I also pondered the fact that my father would never be able to be there (he is pretty afraid of heights).

We got to go on top of the research tower at Coventwald! 11 flights of stairs was a work out. On top, we could feel the tower moving in the wind.

Swiss Alps

7am sharp this past Monday my class gathered outside of the Konzerthaus in Freiburg to start our 4 hour bus drive to Disentis, Switzerland. When we arrived in the Alps it was absolutely pouring (which is why I don’t have pictures from this first day of the trip FYI). To make a long day short, the class hiked hard terrain up into Scatlé forest that has been untouched by humans since before the 13th century, which makes it extremely unique. Very few tourists go through it and only a few researchers interact with the forest at all. We were out there for a long time with no facilities, so I unfortunately had to “interact” with the forest. You got it… I peed in a primeval forest. Soaking wet, we made it back to our hostel for showers and a great dinner with schnitzel, vegetable soup, and caramel flan. We were all very grateful to be warm and dry indoors.

Our second day welcomed us with beautiful weather. The excursion for that day consisted of taking a cable car up to the top of a mountain and walking back down it, similar to what we did during the Shauinsland excursion. Our speaker for the day had an extremely thick Swiss German accent and I could barely pay attention to anything said. That was fine because the surrounding area was gorgeous!

The cable car we took our second day in the Swiss Alps.

The final day of our trip started very early. We left our hostel at 7am and then had a few hours on the bus to sleep. We arrived at Aletsch mountain, which is the most beautiful natural place I have been so far during my study abroad experience. There were trees turning yellow and conifers that were green. The tops of the mountains are covered in snow. We even got to see Aletsch Glacier and, off in the distance, Matterhorn! We had to rush through our hike a bit because of the bus driver wanting to get back to Freiburg (about 6 hours away at this point).

Mountain ash

Larch

Swiss Stone Pine

Aletsch Glacier

A stunning view from the top of the Alps.

On the way home our bus drove onto a train… it carries cars and busses. I had never even heard of this mode of transportation before! (Have you?) At 8pm, all us tired students made our way off the bus and back to bed.

Last Day of Class

The last day of class we started with a student presentation on the ways forests are managed all around Europe. However the most interesting part was that our teacher then spent the rest of the class period asking us for our critical input about the course. He took notes about our suggestions and what things we liked best. At University of Richmond we’re supposed to fill out forms online with our evaluation of a class, but this was such a more rewarding experience. Having a conversation as a class with a teacher and hearing what the teacher thought of our suggestions gave me a huge feeling of independence and control over my education.

Next Post

Alright guys I have to admit it – homesickness has finally gotten to me a tiny bit. I want to devote a blog post to what things I do to handle those feelings and about how my relation to home has changed a lot since I came to Freiburg.

Leave a Comment » | Diana in Germany, Fall 2014 | Tagged: Academics, Adventure, Germany, Nature, Sightseeing, Switzerland | Permalink
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Oliver in Spain: Time to Travel

October 16, 2014

Fall break came and went and it is about time that I recap that experience for you all. The itinerary was as follows: 4 days in Paris, 2 days in Prague, 1 day in Berlin, and 2 days in Amsterdam. The 10 days that I spent traveling around these cities defined the best fall break I have ever had without a shadow of a doubt. I’ll do my best to recap each of these cities and try to keep it brief.

I flew into Paris on Thursday night and ended up being without my luggage for 48 hours. The funny thing was that I didn’t have a worry in the world. I know it’s a little gross to be touring a city in the same clothes for two days but Paris left such an impression on me that I will soon forget the inconvenience of not having a change of clothes. As soon as the plane landed I had the type of feeling that I got the first time I stepped onto Richmond’s campus. It is inexplicable but I felt so excited and ready to go. Along with five of my friends I found my way to the apartment that we would be sharing for the next four days. It was a small two room apartment but we did not spend much time in it. The next four days were a balance of tourism, relaxation, and fun. We hit all of the big stops like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.

The Louvre

The Eiffel Tower

We also went out to dinner one night to a great street side restaurant. The wine was flowing and the escargot was sizzling. Everything about that dinner left me satisfied for the night out.

Escargot and wine

Looking back on my time in Paris, I think it is my favorite city I have ever visited and I would move there in a heartbeat.

Next was Prague. My friend Will and I traveled by train and bus and arrived early afternoon. We moved into our “penthouse” apartment (at least it felt like a penthouse after our tiny place in Paris) and immediately went out to walk the city. Pink, green, and red painted buildings lined the streets and I felt like I was in a children’s book. We walked across the Charles Bridge and up to the main castle.

The castle entrance.

The street view

Berlin was a short, under 24 hour, stop. It wasn’t great weather but we still made the most of it and walked to the Holocaust Museum and Berlin Wall.

The Berlin Wall

The Holocaust Museum

Finally came Amsterdam. This city was my second favorite stop on this trip. The canals running through the city gave a unique vibe to the city that made it feel similar to Copenhagen. I made an attempt to go into the Van Gogh museum but after 9 days of traveling through Europe I was feeling a little frugal. I settled for a picture with the “I AMsterdam” sign and continued to walk through the city. Even though it was raining quite hard, I was thoroughly enjoying the walk. There is a very different, and enjoyable, feel to a city when it is raining.

The canal

The windmill.

I know these descriptions were all very brief but I did not want to write an overwhelming post. I could go on forever with each of these cities separately so if you are interested in hearing more, please reach out to me. I returned to Valencia and was greeted by 75 degree weather. Valencia is truly home for me and I am excited to stay grounded in Spain for a little while. Time to perfect my Spanish and see what cities like Barcelona and Madrid have to offer me.

Comments Off on Oliver in Spain: Time to Travel | Fall 2014, Oliver in Spain | Tagged: Adventure, Czech Republic, Food, Germany, Sightseeing, Travel | Permalink
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Garrett in Bonaire – Mi trep na Kursou (My trip to Curaçao)

October 16, 2014

The time was 6:15AM. All 11 students climbed aboard the trucks and were off to Flamingo International Airport. As part of the program, my classmates, professors, and I hopped islands and took an extended two-day field trip to Curaçao.

The group of students and professors at Flamingo International Airport ready to hop over to Curaçao at 6:15AM.

For those of you who don’t remember, Curaçao is the “C” in ABC islands and is the largest of the three islands. Curaçao lies only about 30 miles west of Bonaire, making for a short 20-minute flight. Similarly to Bonaire, Curaçao was once a part of the Netherland Antilles. However, in 2010, when Bonaire became a municipality of the Netherlands, Curaçao became its own independent country. So, here I am, taking a casual field trip to another country for class during my study abroad experience in the Caribbean.

My classmates and I enjoying the sun in Curaçao!

The itinerary for this trip was jam-packed.

First up: The Sea Aquarium. The aquarium itself was much like any other aquarium with a plethora of marine life on display in various tanks. However, nothing beats swimming with the same fish on the reef outside my residence hall, so I was slightly unimpressed by the inside. The outdoor facilities were another story. As the aquarium is oceanfront, they have multiple lagoons that have channels leading out into the ocean where they take care of a dozen or so dolphins. Let me just say, the Dolphin Academy is amazing! We got a behind-the-scenes tour from the leader of the dolphin program. He has been working with these dolphins for over 20 years and knows them so well. He took us around to the different lagoons stopping at each to tell us about the dolphins. In one, three male teen dolphins were participating in a snorkel session. Here he told us about the reproductive tendencies of dolphins, which are extremely interesting (if you’re ever bored and want to read up on their habits). In another lagoon, dolphin trainers had just finished putting on a wonderful show and were beginning afternoon training sessions with the dolphins. The next lagoon over was occupied by three female dolphins, two of which had given birth in the past month and the third is due in the near future. We stopped here to watch the two-week old dolphin interact with its mother and hear an explanation of dolphin familial structure and group behaviour. In the last lagoon, a dolphin therapy session was underway. The Dolphin Academy on Curacao is one of the best dolphin therapy facilities in the world. Here the dolphins help children of varying disabilities overcome challenges. While they are not the actual therapists in the scenario, they are used as a reward system for the child. Just look at these guys! No wonder they connect so well with children!

The two-week old baby dolphin swims alongside its mother and offers a shy smile for the camera!

Up next: The Curasub! Just down the pier from the Sea Aquarium was Substation Curaçao. That’s right, a submarine. And not just any submarine; a 5-person scientific mini-submarine. In fact, the day before our arrival, the Smithsonian had taken the sub down to 1,000 feet and brought up countless specimens for analysis in the lab. While we weren’t there to bring up samples or anything, we still got to take a trip down in the sub. It sure was cozy! All complaints aside, the experience was breathtaking. The sights were just beautiful and it is eye-opening to just witness the vast array of life that occurs at that depth. Once the majority of visible light disappears from the water column, corals slowly start to fade out and sponges take their place. As a member of the marine biology lab on campus that focuses on sponge research, this was sponge heaven! Continuing past 200 feet, marine live gets even sparser and more interesting. Our max depth was 530 feet! On our way back up, we stopped by a wreck site of two tugboats, which were teeming with life, including countless lionfish, multiple green moray eels, and all kinds of sponges. The whole adventure was absolutely incredible!

Smiling before I drop down into the Curasub for my first submarine ride

My buddy Graham and I smiling out the glass dome of the sub.

A view from inside the sub looking out at the reef. Note the depth of 510 ft!

The following day: Kura Hulanda, possibly one of the best museums I have ever been to. Kura Hulanda is a cultural museum, with a focus on slavery and its impact on the world, specifically in the Caribbean. In the US, when we are taught history, the topic of slavery is often glazed over and its horrors are hidden from view; instead we focus on the Civil War and the biggest battles. However, slavery has killed more people than the Holocaust and this museum shed some light on their stories. During our tour of the slavery museum, we saw the devices used to torture slaves that were disobedient, we ducked inside a model of a ship’s hold where the slaves were kept during the trans-Atlantic voyage, and we heard the terrible tales of the conditions they were exposed to throughout the trek. The museum really opened my eyes to the horrors of slavery and offered another cultural lens with which to view the practice as a whole. It was interesting to learn and be exposed to the history of slavery from this other perspective.

A common device used to torture slaves. Disobedient slaves were stripped and placed in this metal chair in the scorching sun, often until they died.

Replicate model of the hold of a slave ship. Our tour guide estimated that close to 100 slaves would be crammed into this small space. And to think, it felt crowded with just the 7 of us in the tour group

Lastly: Bus tour. With such a limited time on the island, we didn’t really get to see much more than the cove where the Sea Aquarium and our accommodations were located. The bus took us around Punda and Otrobanda, two quarters of the capital city of Willemstad. Literally meaning “other side,” Otrobanda is located directly across Sint Anna Bay from Punda. Together, these quarters are important not only for tourism, but also their history and their proximity to the ocean, which allows for easy trade. In addition, to touring the city, we also were taken to Fort Nassau, which provided a stunning 360 degree view of the city, as well as Fort Beekenburg, which was an old military fort stationed at the back of the bay meant to keep pirates and the British off the island.

A view of Punda across the channel from Otrobanda.

A few of us pose for a picture with the capital city of Curaçao behind us.

Fort Beekenburg standing tall.

All in all, while we were only on the island for less than 36 hours, the country of Curaçao was amazing! I absolutely loved the field trip and appreciate the experience! Guess I can check “Go 530 feet underwater in a submarine” and “Visit Curaçao” off my bucket list too!

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Posted by garrettinbonaire

Diana in Germany Week Five: Double Dose Part II

October 16, 2014

This is the travel post for Double Dose Diana. Fasten your seat belts!

Belgium

My first trip outside of Freiburg was a big leap for me: a solo trip to Brussels. This trip was intended to be almost entirely spur of the moment, with my flight and hostel being the only exceptions to this.

The journey started off with me finding the train from Freiburg to Basel on Friday, September 26th. When I showed up at the main station, the train to Basel was only five minutes away! This kind of perfect timing continues to define my travels so far, which is extremely lucky. A train ride, bus ride, and one hour flight later I landed in Brussels. It was raining and nighttime when I came in. On top of that I was unsure of where anything was in the city or how to access public transport in the city. Retrospectively, this is one of the only mistakes I made on the trip since I hailed a taxi rather than spending the time to figure out the trains. 50 Euro later, I made it to an absolutely awesome hostel named Meinenger Hostel. My wallet sobbed.

There were people my age everywhere – the atmosphere was electric immediately. My joy was increased even further upon spotting a (probably stray) cat running around the place. Another girl and I laughed over it and tried to get its attention. Crazily enough this girl and I turned out to be roommates, which I did not know at the time since I had not even checked in yet! At check-in there was an advertisement for a free tour the following morning, so I signed up. Soon after I fell asleep in my 6-bed all-female hostel room. Only to awoken by fireworks at midnight! There was a French community celebration going on the weekend I arrived. Two of my temporary roommates and I ran outside in socks/bare feet to watch the grand finale.

Spontaneous fireworks my first night in Brussels

The next morning greeted me with a delicious all-you-can-eat breakfast that included cold cuts, yogurt, fresh fruits, freshly baked bread, hot chocolate, and coffee. Next, my “free” tour started around 10 in the hostel lobby. The tour was not free since Senna makes wages based on voluntary tips. By 2pm our Flemmish tour guide, Senna, took us past Grand Place, Mannekin Pis, the Opera House, Stock Building, Parliament Building, and Bruxelles Park. We learned about Belgium’s central position in the EU and also historically as a fighting ground to keep Germany from invading France. After saying goodbyes and thanks to Senna I walked around with Cathie and Angie, two girls from my tour group. They both work in Paris as nurses. We got lunch together and decided to stay in contact with each over Facebook.

Mannekin Pis, the famous peeing baby statue. Stolen by a king. Returned by a king.

My new friends and I outside of the Royal Palace of Brussels

Finally feeling comfortable alone in the city, I started exploring on my own. But again, I hit a bump in the road – this time by eating frites (fries) with curry ketchup, mayo, and onions. A pain developed more and more in my stomach, so I finally went back to the hostel to lay down. San, a new girl in the room that night, woke me up to explore the hostel. We met two guys, one named Rhoni and the other named Mohamed. We talked a ton about travel, jobs, education, and San and I watched them play pool. Hostels are great places to meet people from around the world and I cannot wait to go back to one after this experience.

Day 2 was a completely free day to explore museums. While walking towards Grand Place, I unexpectedly discovered a contemporary art museum. Then my breakfast dreams came true as I downed a Liège waffle with strawberries and chocolate on top. Pay attention now. This is important waffle information. Liège waffles have crunchy caramelized sugar in them. They tend to come in oval shapes, are more dense, and more sweet. Belgian waffles are rectangular and are more bread-like in taste. Liège waffles are the absolute winner in my opinion. That sweet crunch is to die for. Right this second, I really want another Liège waffle…

Behold the beauty of the Liège waffle.

A woman with her young daughter approached me for help in getting them food. I do not hand out money to strangers and instead directly buy food. We all went to do an impromptu grocery store run as a result. This is not necessarily something I advise anyone to do. This is something I have background experience in doing at home in Baltimore, and I also had a good enough grasp on French, the language they spoke. For instance, Flemmish Dutch is also spoken in Belgium and it sounds so much like German! Unfortunately the similarities end in the sound; it made no sense to my ears. I would not have been comfortable enough helping if the person only spoke Dutch. Thankfully, this seemed like a situation where some people just needed food.

The rest of the day was taken up exploring 4 museums for 3 euro at Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique. The Magritte Museum was amazing as it displayed his works in chronological order. Basically you take a ride through his life via his paintings. My favorite period of his was his impressionist surrealism, but photography was not permitted in the exhibit. Many pointillist landscapes caught my ey throughout the day as well. Next I went to the lobby of the Comic Book Museum (comics are a big deal here). Without having to enter I saw the most famous characters, and decided to look in the bookstore rather than spend time in the museum. With my time in Brussels winding to a close I checked off another “must eat” – moules frites, or mussels with fries. Then I found the train to the airport, boarded my flight, and took a bus home to Freiburg. Remember that great timing I talked about? The last tram home from the train station left only 10 minutes after I arrived. Phew!!

Arbres la long de la Lys – Emile Claus – 1892
One of my favorites of the day!

I found a smurf in Brussels!

To be honest I am unsure if I have ever even done a solo trip in the US. Friends, family, they were always there with me at one point or another. They also assisted in making my travel arrangements. Every decision where to go, when to go, how to get there, what to do – all of it was up to me. It was amazingly freeing.

France

On Thursday, October 2nd I started my second big trip outside of Freiburg first to Paris to meet my friend from University of Richmond, Masnoon. Three trains and a conversation in French later, I arrived at Gare de Lyon, only a short walk from the zoo. The first exhibit was for red pandas. So. Cute. I could not handle the cute. Next I walked by Notre Dame and took the metro towards the Eiffel Tower. Masnoon only lives a 15 minute or so walk from there and I figured I would meet him after class. Unfortunately I ended up waiting in a McDonalds for a long time because Masnoon switched plans. Thankfully a girl named Juliette let me borrow her computer to get in contact with him.

Oh my goodness it’s a red panda!

That night Masnoon prepared Pakistani food for us to eat and I enjoyed the company of the house cat, Jojo. I really miss my cats, Cookies and Cream, back home. Another “home” luxury I indulged in was watching the Baltimore Orioles baseball team play their first playoff game.. The Orioles scored the most home runs they ever had in a postseason game, and I was able to witness it all the way from Paris.

Day 2 started with an early train to Orléans. Masnoon and I explored the city, which includes a lot of statues of Jeanne d’arc/ Joan of Arc and a beautiful cathedral that reminded me of Notre Dame. We bought food for dinner at the open air market. Some things in that market were shockingly delicious and others freaked me out a bit… After dinner we attended a Shakespeare play in French, The Tempest. I barely understood any of it, but it was a fun experience to guess all the same. As we left the play, Masnoon checked the Orioles score – they won again!! Originally we planned to go out to see what nightlife Orléans had to offer, but we were really tired and decided to watch a Pakistani movie called “Khuda Kay liye” instead.

The beautiful Basilique Cathédrale Sainte-Croix d’Orléans.

Unable to arrange for an official tour, Masnoon and I spontaneously figured out trains to Blois (Royal Castle) and then Chenonceau. We enjoyed the gardens and grounds of both castles. Chenonceau even had a donkey farm! I enjoyed a fancier dinner in Chenonceau before heading back to Orléans. Again decided to stay in to work and watched Scooby Doo.

The castle in Blois, a stop on our way to Chenonceau.

Château de Chenonceau

A garden there… so beautiful

We made our way back to Paris the next day and spent a few hours studying. For our final meal together we got galette… I got a Punjabi galette with tandoori chicken, which was such a fun mix of cultures! Masnoon and I rushed to get a picture with the Eiffel Tower (and no tourists) in the background. The rest of my day consisted of making trains with one minute to spare. In total, I was on 12 different trains and several different metros throughout the weekend. Exhausted, Better traveled and exhausted, I went to sleep and vowed not to travel the next weekend!

The Punjabi galette, basically a savory crêpe with Tandoori chicken inside. Boy do I love fusion cuisine.

Masnoon and I ending our trip with the Eiffel Tower in the background 🙂

Lessons Learned

Lesson #1: Do not take a taxi from an airport. There is almost always cheap public transport right at the airport. Major airports all have English speaking staff to assist you – just ask around for any advice!

Lesson #2: Securing a female-only room is worth the extra few euros. Especially when you are a woman traveling solo. You never know who will be in and out of your room during your stay. One of my flatmates in Freiburg recounted a story of finding herself alone in a hostel room with only one guy who proceeded to make her feel very uncomfortable. Reception at that particular hostel was not 24/7 like the one at my hostel, so she was literally alone.

Lesson #3: Easyjet is serious about their one bag policy… sometimes. On my way to Brussels, I was fine with my backpack and stuffed purse. On the way back to Brussels they made me “fit” all of the things in my purse into my backpack. It took about five minutes and a lot of muscle, but I got it figured out. My backpack wouldn’t even zip up, but everything was in there. Next time, I will just take one larger bag where my purse will easily fit inside.

Lesson #4: Traveling with someone else means constant compromises. Where to eat, where to go, what to do. Never realized this until going solo one weekend then traveling in a pair the next weekend. The contrast in freedom was significant.

Lesson #5: Split weekends between international travel and exploring your new “hometown.” Almost anyone who travels abroad in Europe gets some wanderlust seeing as other countries are close by. Indulge yourself, but also save money and time by discovering the history, people, nature, and culture right at your front door. Plus you need to catch your breath.

Suggested supplies for super successful travel: healthy snacks for train travel, water, and a map.

Leave a Comment » | Diana in Germany, Fall 2014 | Tagged: Food, Friends, Sightseeing, Travel | Permalink
Posted by dianaingermany

Diana in Germany (Delayed) Week Four: Double Dose Part 1

October 6, 2014

Sorry for the delay everyone! I have been so busy with academics and travel that I am behind by a week! So what does this mean for you? Glad you asked. This means two blog posts are coming your way next week in a little thing I like to call Double Dose Diana. One post about travel and one post about everything else. This is the post about everything else.

Flat Talk

My flatmates are flabbergasted by the price of college in America. This spurred many a conversation so far. The students I have talked with barely pay anything or get paid to attain a higher level of education. In America there are several more affordable options than paying the sticker price for a private school, such as University of Richmond at almost $57,000 a year. For instance UR gives wonderful aid – I attend on full scholarship. There are also 4-year public schools averaging $21,000 a year and community colleges for much less. All told though, the average student debt in 2013 for U.S. college graduates was over $30,000, a decently horrifying number to some Europeans whose governments subsidize post-secondary education. Germany actually just passed a resolution that public college tuition would be free for all German students. Lucky them!

A viral photo on Facebook after the announcement that German university will be tuition free.

I brought up another issue close to my life and to University of Richmond: rampant sexual assault in colleges. About 12% of female German Uni students experience attempted or completed rape in German colleges vs. 25% of female American college students. So basically, it’s too dang much in both places. It also seemed to me that the German uni students I know rarely have conversations about sexual violence as they had to research what the rates were.

Of course we have also discussed obesity and the general (lack of?) health in America. Simon notably stated, “America has one day of independence and 52 of eating badly… land of the free, home of the fat.” That one stung a bit. I think there is a general lack of healthy food available in America, especially for people who do not make a ton of money. We have a lot of work to do here as a country. Only recently I learned about food deserts in America. These areas have no nearby, accessible grocery stores. Many people in inner city areas like this rely on public transportation, but that isn’t going to take you to the grocery store 20 miles away quickly, if at all. Here in Freiburg, I can walk for 3 minutes and see 2 grocery stores.

Finally, I always knew Europeans eat with their fork in their left and their knife in their right, no matter if they are left or right handed. As a right-handed American I always eat with my fork in my right hand until I need to cut something and switch hands briefly. My flatmates had never noticed this phenomenon! Last night during my weekend travels, I looked down and realized I finally was eating in the European style!

Study Abroad Bucket List

I was supposed to have this list before leaving the US. However, I knew I had no clue what my life would be like and set to settling in first before solidly deciding on an official “I have to do this” list. Here are the top 20 left to do, accompanied by pictures of some of the ones I have already completed so far!

1. Climb the Münster Cathedral Tower
2. Go to the rooftop restaurant, Skyda
3. Eat international food from every stall in the Markthalle
4. Eat a Turkish Döner from Euphrat
5. Try on a dirndl
6. Eat at the most stereotypical restaurant for German food in Freiburg, Martin’s Bräu
7. Hike up to the tower on Schauinsland mountain
8. Go skiing for the first time
9. Take a paddle boat out on Titisee Lake
10. Getting through a meal without the waiter or waitress switching to English
11. Enjoy the thermal baths of Baden-Baden
12. Visit nearby French cities such as Colmar and Strasbourg
13. Slide down the longest tunnel slide in Europe at Baumkronenweg
14. Explore Neuschwanstein castle
15. Travel through the exhibits at the Augustiner Museum
16. Watch a soccer game in the Freiburg stadium
17. Ride a boat on the Rhine River
18. Join a University of Freiburg extracurricular activity
19. Watch a Baltimore Orioles game in an Irish pub called O’Kelly’s
20. Lounge in the botanical gardens

The Black Forest cake my friend Anne and I made. This was one of the items on my bucket list that I already checked off!

The End of German Class

The last week of German class was much more difficult as we leaned new verbs called separable verbs in addition to learning travel vocabulary. Frau Snuggs made no signs of letting the class off easy, which is wonderful. When a professor expects a lot from me, I tend to work harder. All in all, we made it through 10 of the 12 chapters in our book in just 3 weeks! Our test was on a Wednesday and I’m proud to say my 10 hours of studying paid off. I got a 1,0 on the test and in the class, which is an A! This is how grades work for class:

German gradingsystem as compared to American grading system

The morning of our last day, which was two Fridays ago, we went to the student café together for breakfast. Then we had a “graduation ceremony.” This ceremony was pretty awesome as all of the German students for this three week program attended. One of my classmates, Quinn, and his wife sang with a choir in front of the whole crowd. We received our grades afterwards and enjoyed the spread of food and drink the program set out for us. I am so thankful to Frau Snuggs and my other German classmates – this was an amazing beginning on the journey to German fluency.

OH yeah, I also surprised my class by showing up with a completely new hairstyle and color.

I loved all the people in my German class!

Our teacher, Frau Snuggs was amazing.

First time getting my hair dyed!

A New Class

This past week my first environmental class began, but we only had a three day week! This class is called Ecology and Management of Forest Landscapes in Southwest Germany and the Swiss Alps. The format of this class is very unique. We have lecture and student presentations one day and then the next we go out into the field. This week, we took a bus up Schauinsland mountain and hiked down the rest of the way. We made frequent stops to talk about the history, geology, vegetation, etc. at different altitudes. At the end of the day I was tired and very content to take a hot shower. Hopefully our trip next week to the Rhine River Valley will be a bit less strenuous!

Next Post

Stop by the blog mid-week as I am planning to post about my travels outside of Freiburg! It will include details and analysis of my solo trip to Brussels and my trip with fellow UR Spider, Masnoon Majeed, in Paris and the Loire Valley. Finally, read some travel tips that come from my recent experiences.