Jackie in Switzerland: French, Flaubert and Fondue

February 23, 2015

What kind of blogger would I be if I didn’t start each post with food? This week, I had the most Swiss-centered food experience that I might have actually gained 5 pounds in a single day. After braving the snow to check out a local farmers’ market, my friends and I stopped into a well-known little café for some hot chocolate. What we got served to us was essentially a cross between a drink and pudding. I have never seen a hot chocolate so thick that you need a spoon to eat it. I have also never tasted anything so delicious.

Braving the blizzard

Braving the blizzard

Pretty even in the snow

Pretty even in the snow

The Greatest of All Time

The Greatest of All Time

Later on in the day, my apartment mate offered to make us some authentic Swiss fondue; he is from the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Honestly, I thought fondue was only melted cheese, but there is a lot more to it. In the end, it was one of the best things I’ve had here in Lausanne, who wouldn’t love bread dunked in cheese?

I ate my weight in fondue, like a real Swiss

I ate my weight in fondue, like a real Swiss

Moving away from my food obsession, let’s talk about classes. Here in Lausanne, the class system works a little bit differently. For the first four weeks, students can go try out classes without pre-registering. This way, you can see what you like, and what you don’t, before committing to anything. I think this is a really good idea, but it is STRESSFUL. My parents can attest to that- I have called them everyday in a state of minor panic. Taking classes with students who speak only French, with professors who speak perfect French, and in subjects that revolve around French literature can be very intimidating, all while trying to figure out what will transfer back to Richmond. But as of now, I am beginning to figure things out with the help of some awesome professors here!

Better start reading!

Better start reading!

Right now, I am following nine classes, which seems like a lot, but they all require less work than in a typical Richmond course. It is definitely harder to keep all of these courses in order, but the subjects are really cool. I am taking a course about the French author Flaubert, and at the end of the semester, I have to give a 45-minute presentation in French. Again, really really intimidating.

That being said, I am incredibly happy to report that I can understand French! I was getting seriously worried that I wouldn’t be able to understand a single word that my professors said. But it turns out, I can understand almost every word. The language isn’t really a struggle, even in taking classes about more technical literary and historical subjects.

Finally, at the end of a long week full of French, Flaubert, and Fondue, it was necessary to unwind a little bit with my friends! As a proud Pittsburgher, hockey has been one of the things I have missed the most Luckily, I found a bunch of hockey-crazy Canadians who feel the same way. We went to see the local Lausanne Hockey Club play one of their last games of the season and it was wild! The fans were so into it, and the atmosphere was incredible. We needed up winning 3-2 in a shootout, which was the perfect way to end a full week of class and to start another amazing weekend in Lausanne.

Me and my fellow hockey-lovers

Me and my fellow hockey-lovers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG4ljRszGpQ

 

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Becca in Hungary: A Weekend Fairytale

February 19, 2015

Once upon time, in a far away land lived a woman by the name of Rebecca. She spent her days slaving away on programming apps for Iphones and solving mystical mathematics problems for her combinatoric class. While lost in a world of new words, and people, she met a messenger who spoke of a glamorous ball scheduled to occur in Vienna. But Miss Rebecca was just a simple peasant girl; how could she afford such an activity? Well, in the dark of the night Rebecca was spooked by the arrival of her fairy godmother, Barbara. Cheerfully Barbara announces, “What are you waiting for? You have a ball to attend, a dress to try on, and a carriage waiting for your arrival.” Rebecca was shocked and before she knew it she was swaying to the music of Strauss and Mozart.

Okay okay so maybe I am being sightly over-dramatic about my so called fairytale weekend, but most of the story is actually true. Though I never saw a messenger roaming the streets sharing the word about the future ball, I did find the ball’s website after a comprehensive Google search of unique things do in Vienna. And unfortunately, I do not have a fairy godmother that gifted me with tickets to the ball, but rather my parents purchased tickets as a birthday present for me. But I did in fact travel to Vienna this past weekend and attend a proper Viennese ball. During the month of February Vienna is known for sponsoring hundreds of balls for various organizations. The ball I attended was called the BonBon Ball and was sponsored by Manner confectionary and various other Austrian candy companies. Essentially the premiss of the ball was to look and dance classy while also enjoying the pleasure of hundreds of free samples of various confectionary treats (so basically my heaven).

The ball was on Friday, so right after school fellow University of Richmond student, Jackson, and I boarded a train to Vienna and within an hour and half arrived to our destination. We met many road blocks before getting to the ball, but we finally made it to our hotel and began to get ready for the ball. Embarrassing enough, we didn’t have time to get dinner, so before our classy ball we had to swing over to McDonalds to gain some energy for a night of dancing. When we arrived at the ball the first thing I noticed was CHOCOLATE!! There was SO MUCH chocolate! After noticing all the chocolate though, I began to notice all the people between me and that chocolate and soon realized this place was packed!! So Jackson and I slowly made our way to our seating in the upstairs parlor.

Making our way up to our table.

Making our way up to our table.

Soon we heard the music planning, and we quickly got out on the dance floor. I am proud to say that Jackson and I were the first ones dancing. Before coming to the ball we learned a basic waltz, and that was the ONLY dance experience we had. The rest of the crowd there must have been taking lessons for years because they were amazing! Though it is fair to say we were by far the worst dancers in the room, we definitely were having the most fun! With all that dancing though I quickly realized that this is NOT the event to bring out your highest heels. Within the first couple songs my feet were throbbing with pain, but the excitement and adrenaline is what keep me on the dance floor.

Wishing I could switch shoes right about now!

Wishing I could switch shoes right about now!

The event was split into three ballrooms. The smallest (which also happened to be my favorite) was a Frank Sinatra/ Jazz themed room.

They also had a caribbean themed room which mainly had people tangoing.

In the caribbean themed room

In the caribbean themed room.

The last dance floor they had was the main ballroom floor. This is where all the main activities were, but the dance floor was also crazy busy. Each hour they would release huge balloons from the ceiling onto the main ballroom. If you caught the balloon then you would try to pop the balloon open in hopes of finding a prize.

Looking down onto the main dance floor from a balcony.

Looking down onto the main dance floor from a balcony.

Overall, going to the ball was absolutely amazing, and I could not think of a better way to celebrate my 21st birthday. I would like to thank Jackson for being the best escort a girl could ask for and for helping me feel like a true princess. I would also like to thank my parents for the best birthday gift ever!

Feeling like a princess :)

Feeling like a princess 🙂

Enjoying all the free candy!

Enjoying all the free candy!

All the candy we were able to take from the ball.

All the candy we were able to take from the ball.

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Fabiana in China: Chinese New Year for Beginners

February 19, 2015

Red lanterns, golden dragons and white goats.

YES! Spring is finally here! The arrival of the Chinese New Year (or modernly called as the Spring Festival) can be seen, smelled, and touched everywhere you go. For a foreigner like me however, the countdown to a holiday like this has meant smiles, less traffic and clear skies. What not to love about it!?

While trying to find out more about the holiday, I found a short&sweet video I’d like to share with all of you. The video explains what the most common Chinese New Year traditions are and things History.com “bets you didn’t know” about the holiday. Deep stuff.

http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/chinese-new-year/videos/bet-you-didnt-know-chinese-new-year

As part of this week’s language activity, our professors organized a dumpling-making（饺子） evening. We gathered in the immersion guys’ apartment and were taught how to wrap （包）pork and onion leaves dumplings (猪肉大葱饺子)，and chives and eggs dumplings (韭菜鸡蛋饺子). Although I did most of the taking-pictures part and not much of the actual making of it, we all learned about the different techniques used and traditions held behind the dumpling-making. We definitely enjoyed our time with the whole Immersion-track family.

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The most interesting thing I learned that day was the reason why northern Chinese people eat the dumplings on New Year’s Eve. According to my professors, the tradition of eating dumplings occurs because the word dumpling or jiaozi (饺子) in Chinese, sounds like a Chinese word meaning “bidding farewell to the old and ushering the new” (credits to travelchinaguide.com for the translation). I can’t think of a better adjective than superstitious when I think about Chinese people and customs, but then again who am I to judge after freaking-out every time someone tries to hand me the salt.

Next week, we’ll be having a break from 5am coffee and endless character-writing for our one-week Spring Break vacation. As a treat to our hard work, today, two friends and I decided we wanted to travel. YOLO right?

With the luck we have, we managed to get train tickets to Harbin, China, or may I say, the “Ice and Amusement World.” So yes, I’ll be freezing to death in one of the most beautiful cities in China, most know for its ice sculpture festival, Siberian tigers, and Russian landmarks. 10 hours in a hard-seat train during the famous “spring travel rush,” OH! am I going to breath in Chinese culture. I can’t wait!

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Jackie in Switzerland: One Week Down

February 5, 2015

After a week of living here, I can say that Switzerland is pretty perfect.

I arrived in Switzerland at 7am with two suitcases, no sleep, and no idea where I was going. Luckily, I had an exchange buddy, Daria, who picked me up from the train station with her boyfriend, Sergey, to take me to my hotel. They are both from the Ukraine, and are maybe the nicest people I’ve met so far.  They took me out to breakfast and we walked around Lake Geneva (Lac Léman in French) and they told me a lot about the University. Overall, it was an awesome welcome!

This is a picture from the highest point of Lausanne overlooking the entire city!

This is a picture from the highest point of Lausanne overlooking the entire city!

Still struggling with jetlag, I went to school the next morning with some serious nerves. French is supposed to be my thing, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was in over my head. But when I got to school, I met so many awesome people that I didn’t even need to worry. One of my favorite things so far has been meeting so many amazing people from all over the world! I have made friends from Germany, Norway, France, Russia, Iran, and Brazil. It turns out that over a third of the people in Lausanne are foreigners, which is awesome because I get to meet people from all around the world, and experience Swiss life at the same time.

After the less-intimidating-than-it-sounds written, oral, and listening exams, I got put into the more advanced level of French (which is good because I have to take ALL of my classes in French!). Most of the people in my class are older people with families who have lived in Lausanne for many years, and simply want to be even better French speakers. My teacher’s name is Pierre, which is really just the perfect French stereotype and I love it. Still, one thing I will always struggle with is calling your teacher by their first name, which is normal here but not so much in the States.

My first real Swiss meal; Cheese, bread, and even more delicious cheese.

My first real Swiss meal; Cheese, bread, and even more delicious cheese.

One night, our class met for dinner at a Swiss café in the center of town, and I don’t think my life will ever be the same. I ordered Croute au Gruyère avec un oeuf à la poêle, which is basically a huge piece of French bread covered with an absurd amount of cheese and a fried egg. This glorious masterpiece was arguably the best thing that has happened to me so far; if I could eat this every day, I would. The food here pretty much revolves around their cheese, which makes sense because it is some of the best I have ever had! As I was sitting at dinner with my classmates, I tried to explain what Velveeta is, but mostly I got confused faces. And THEN I tried to explain Kraft Mac and Cheese, and all bets were off. Explaining how powdered cheese works to a bunch of Swiss people did not go over too well, I think they thought I was a little crazy.

Other than the food, Lausanne is an amazing city and I can’t wait to explore it even more! For the first week, I stayed in a hotel in the middle of the city, so it was really easy to just walk around and see all of the architecture and art throughout the Lausanne. It has snowed almost every day, but somehow I think that made it feel even more special, like something out of a movie.

The only city I have ever visited where snow just makes it better and better.

The only city I have ever visited where snow just makes it better and better.

After staying at the hotel for a little, I got to my dorm in Ouchy, the region of Lausanne closest to the lake. I am lucky enough to be in a dorm that sits right on the lake itself! I can see the lake and the mountains from my window, and it only takes about two minutes to walk to the water. Before I came here, I pictured snowy mountains and a beautiful lake, and that’s exactly what I see every day. I am amazed every day when I peek through the gaps between buildings and see distant, snowy mountains. For now, I’m not worrying about my classes; I’m just enjoying the view.

This view is actually what I see almost everywhere in the city. Its so strange to walk down an ordinary street, look up, and see the most gorgeous background! So far, its my favorite part of Lausanne.

This view is actually what I see almost everywhere in the city. Its so strange to walk down an ordinary street, look up, and see the most gorgeous background! So far, its my favorite part of Lausanne.

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KyungSun in Scotland: Midterms Already?!

February 3, 2015
Street art on my walk down Melville Dr.

Street art on my walk down Melville Dr.

I empathize with the person who wrote this on the street wall. I just finished week 3 of classes and realized I only have 2 weeks left! As excited as I am start working at the Scottish Parliament, first I have to survive midterms. The workload itself isn’t too bad, but doing midterm essays on top of internship essays has definitely been overwhelming. So far, I’ve done three applications, three papers, and have two presentations due for this upcoming week. I keep telling myself that it’s almost over – I know I can do this!

The best break I had this week was celebrating Burns Night. Technically, Scotland celebrates its famous poet, Robert Burns, on the 25th, but I celebrated it as close to the date as possible. There were loads of events to choose from, but I decided to go to the Burns Ceilidh with the International Student Centre on the 22nd and the Burns Dinner with the Edinburgh Folk Society on the 28th. As always, I had a great time dancing the ceilidh and this time, it was much more enjoyable because I actually knew some of the dances! Here’s a video in case you missed the first one:

The Burns Dinner was hosted by one of my professors who runs the Edinburgh Folk Society. My entire program went and I also invited two of my friends. When we arrived, I realized that we were the only college students. But strangely, it was better that way; I felt like I got a more authentic experience being surrounded by Scottish people. Of course, to celebrate a Scottish tradition, we had to eat Scotland’s traditional dish: haggis. This time I went with the vegetarian version and it wasn’t too bad. The vegetarian one replaces the organs with oats so it was more edible. In addition to food, I also got a full dose of Scottish culture by (attempting) to sing along to some Burns songs, hearing bagpipes, and taking part in the traditional toast to Burns with a shot of whiskey.

Vegetarian haggis, nips (turnips), and tatties (potatoes)

Vegetarian haggis, nips (turnips), and tatties (potatoes)

This past week, I also had a chance to go to Scotland’s National Gallery with the other interns! Normally, I am not a huge fan of art museums. I was once at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and saw a work that had a definition of the word definition. Maybe it’s art? I just didn’t get it. But I do like paintings and the Gallery certainly had the most intricate pieces. When I first saw them, I was amazed at how big they were. However, I was even more surprised that we had the freedom to come right up to the painting and see the fine details. I’m not sure if I was allowed to take pictures (I may have seen the no photographs sign too late) but here are some of my favorite pieces:

Flowers in a White Stone Vase (1671) by Dirck de Bray. One of my favorite pieces in the gallery.

Flowers in a White Stone Vase (1671) by Dirck de Bray. One of my favorite pieces in the gallery.

Art cabinet with Anthony van Dyck's 'Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine'. The details in this were amazing.

Art cabinet with Anthony van Dyck’s ‘Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine’. The details in this were amazing.

 

James Mayhew draws his character, Katie, into famous paintings!

James Mayhew draws his character, Katie, into famous paintings!

This upcoming week is my second and final wave of deadlines. I can’t wait to be done! But like this past week, I also have some exciting things to look forward to including a trip to St. Andrews and my first meeting with my Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP)! I’ll let you know how it goes! Stay tuned!

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Becca in Hungary: Feeling Hungry in Hungary!

January 20, 2015

I made it! For the past couple days I have been roaming the streets of Budapest, Hungary. During my time here I have been feeling really… hungry. I am hungry mainly for two things: exploration and FOOD.

Ever since landing in Hungary I have been so HUNGRY to eat food. When I first got here there was just so much to do that somehow I forgot to get dinner (something I NEVER have forgotten in my life!). Luckily, I packed some snacks for the flight, so I tried to craft a meal out of the snacks that night. Even with these snacks, I woke up that night at 2AM absolutely starving! I think my internal clock was telling me it was now dinner time because 2AM here is 6PM back home. Every night I have woken up at 2AM ready for my fourth meal of the day. Today I am hoping I will be able to break this cycle.

On my second day here (oh course I woke up starving) I tried to go to cafe to order breakfast around my neighborhood. Quickly I realized that not everyone knows English here and that if I want to feed myself I would need to learn a little Hungarian. Currently, I am enrolled in a 2 week language immersion course where I am learning basic Hungarian. I definitely wouldn’t say that the language comes naturally to me or to most people in the class. Hungarian (what locals call Maygarul) is universally accepted as one of the hardest languages to learn because it is one of the most unique languages. This is because Hungary has been under control by so many different powers that their language has become a unique blend of these languages. Because the language is so unique no one in the class has a head start in understanding the language which makes me feel a lot more comfortable when I continuously mispronounce even the most basic phrases (for instance goodbye in Hungarian is Viszontlátásra). When I go to restaurants I always try to speak Hungarian to the locals, and it is obvious that they truly appreciate the effort even when my pronunciation is way off.

Also being the food lover that I am, one of my favorite qualities about Hungary is there food is so inexpensive!! Yesterday I was able to buy a large sandwich for about $2!! I also recently went to a more upscale restaurant with a group of new friends and each plate was about $10! Because the food is so cheap it cost about the same to go out to eat each day as it is to cook for yourself. I may have been hungry when I got off that plane, but now knowing how cheap and accessible food is here, that will not be happening again!

Enjoying a traditional Hungarian meal for less than $20 for two people

Enjoying a traditional Hungarian meal for less than $20 for two people

I am also just so hungry to explore! For the past 4 months I have been making list, charts, and diagrams of all the places I want to go and experience while in Hungary. Now that I am here I feel like I just want to make as many of those ideas possible. So far I haven’t had much time to really dive deep into this list. The main exploring will happen this weekend. On Saturday, I plan to do a walking tour in the Buda Hills and then learn how to make authentic goulash ( a popular Hungarian dish). On Sunday, a smaller group of us will explore the Pest side of the city. You may be wondering what I mean by the Pest side of BudaPEST. The territory of Budapest actually originally use to be two separate cities – Buda and Pest – that are split by the Danube River. It wasn’t until 1873 that the cities merged to form Budapest, the largest city in Hungary. The Pest side is know for their beautiful castles and amazing views of the city.

a picture of the chain bridge that connects the Buda and the Pest sides of Budapest.

a picture of the chain bridge that connects the Buda and the Pest sides of Budapest.

Be sure to tune in soon for updates on these adventures and potentially a video of my apartment and neighborhood.

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KyungSun in Scotland: Ready or Not

January 13, 2015

Sometimes we’re not ready for everything. When I arrived in Edinburgh, I came in with an open mind ready to be filled with new experiences. Yet I quickly learned that being mentally and physically prepared are two different things.

Here is what I wasn’t ready for:

Source: Google Images

Source: Google Images

The first night of orientation was a welcome dinner that promised good haggis. Haggis is one of Scotland’s traditional dishes and made from sheep heart, liver, and lung. Yum? The meal didn’t sound or look very appealing. However, I decided to just dive into the cultural experience on day one. I was ready. I slowly took a bite and thought, Hm, this isn’t too bad.

It wasn’t until the other exchange students finished their cup that I realized I had only eaten a quarter of mine. The tatties, or mashed potatoes, were gone, but the haggis remained. In the end I couldn’t fully push the image of eating sheep organs out of my head. One of the exchange students chuckled and said, “Are you done already?” He was going back for seconds. I told him I hadn’t warmed up to haggis quite yet.

Here is what I was ready for:

Ceilidh was my favorite event during orientation. I highly recommend it to anyone whether you like to dance or not. I promise this is a great dance to learn for people who especially don’t like to groove. You just need to be able to do three moves: forming circles, skipping, and cheering. It’s very simple!

The best part was messing up the rhythms because you saw how eager everyone was to make the formation work. I also saw the rush of proud satisfaction from our group once we finally got the dance right. I love that dancing is a way to communicate without words. I didn’t talk much that night, but I got a good sense of who everyone was even without the usual introductions. I slept for 13 hours that night and woke up feeling sore. This was enough to convince me that my body needed time to catch up with my eagerness to try everything.

What I was definitely ready for:

Nicholson Street

Nicholson Street

City life in Edinburgh is too cool. At first, I would walk down a street thinking everything looked the same as the States. Then further on ahead, I would suddenly come across these dark historical churches, cobblestone streets, or Arthur’s Seat peaking behind the skyline. I am constantly in awe of how the city changes before my eyes.

The spirit of the city is also very visible here. Just the other day, I explored Princes Street. I felt like I was walking in NYC as I passed this long row of commercial stores. Cars were honking as people J-walked, double decker buses sped by, and lights lit the way ahead. I almost forgot I was abroad. But then I looked towards my right and saw the Edinburgh Castle standing high above. To me, the castle was like an authoritative figure, reminding everyone below never to forget the history that had shaped the country. I love that I can see the cross between history and modernization, Scottish culture and diversity of other cultures present everywhere.

What I don’t think I’ll ever be ready for:

View from the castle entrance

View from the castle entrance

I now understand the true meaning of being cold. Yes, it’s definitely cold when temperatures are freezing and the chilly air seeps into your bones. But now also imagine the rain pouring on you, constantly dampening the little warmth you’re trying to kindle. Then gusts of wind fan the cold flame already spreading throughout your body. My usual attire is four layers, a down jacket, thick socks, rain-poof boots, scarf, and gloves. Even then I’m never warm enough.

Mainly, I keep reminding myself that I need to rest. Even though I want to tackle everything – exploring the city, trying new foods, going to all the social events – I’m often more tired than I realize. It’s more than the jet lag. The cold, the constant walking, and living adjustment adds onto the tiredness I get after meeting so many new people in one day. However, I’m enjoying soaking in the city day by day. The cold is certainly uninviting, but it doesn’t stop me or anyone else living here from parading the streets every day.

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Oliver in Spain: Transitioning back to the States

January 5, 2015

I have now been back Stateside for a little under two weeks, even though it feels like I’ve been back for much longer than that. I figured I’d have a pretty easy transition back to this culture after having traveled so much throughout my life but every now and again there are certain things that remind me I’m no longer living in Spain.

I think the biggest difference I have noticed so far is the food culture. In Valencia I would sit at a café and 20 minutes later a server would ask me if I would like anything to drink or eat. In the States there is a server at your table within two minutes of sitting down. Give me a second to settle in! Similarly, in Valencia I’d finish whatever I was drinking or eating and stay seated chatting with my friends for a couple hours. In the States I feel uncomfortable staying more than 15 minutes after paying the check. It feels like I’m being quietly encouraged to get the hell out. I don’t mean to sound angry with this difference, and I’m not, it is just a very big difference between the two cultures. The US is all about efficiency and profit. The cafés here are thinking, “how many customers can I get in and out of my door in one day?” In Spain you are treated like a family member coming back for a drink. If you frequent the place, it is not unusual for the server to sit with you for a quick chat. I definitely prefer that laid back feeling.

On the other hand, the efficiency of the US was something I missed while in Spain. Sometimes you just want something done, and fast. That simply doesn’t exist in Spain. People will work on their own time and will shut down for three hours every day for a siesta. Going to a store in the early afternoon seems like such a novel idea now!

I haven’t had an overwhelming feeling of missing Valencia just yet. I’m still in the recovery stage of being back with the family. The biggest thing I miss from being abroad is the constant excitement. Living back in the Philadelphia suburbs feels so…lacking…after a semester trailblazing through Europe from one ancient city to another. That being said, it’s very nice to have access to Netflix again!

I’m half way through this break and I am already counting the days to get back to UR. I have seen a few friends here and there and will be seeing a lot more during or New Years Eve celebrations. I can’t wait to get back into the swing of things at Richmond after a nice semester of memories.

Valencia will always have a place in my heart and I am looking forward to going back the next time I’m in Spain. I think I will miss my host family most, but there will be a whole lot to miss in the weeks to come. I imagine it will all hit me hard when I am back into the regular routine of school. I will never forget all of the things I have been able to do through the past four months. It almost seems like a dream but I am pleased to see all of the pictures and words I will have forever as documentation of my experiences. Europe, I’ll see you soon. US, it’s good to be home.

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Diana in Germany: Holiday Happenings

December 15, 2014

Late fall and early winter mark several celebrations for Americans back home. Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and all the days until Christmas and New Years. Though Germans do not celebrate Thanksgiving, my IES program was very sensitive to the fact that this is a special time for family and friends to come together for a large meal back home. So about 2 weeks ago IES hosted a dinner at one of the fancier restaurants in Freiburg up on Schlossberg mountain. After everybody huffed and puffed up the stairs to the top – because really who is going to pay for a two minute funicular – we were so ready to eat. I entered the dining room feeling mildly underdressed, but easily relaxed as I saw my friends and two of my previous teachers, Klaus and Sandra!

Klaus, my Environmental Ethics professor, and I at the Thanksgiving Dinner

Klaus, my Environmental Ethics professor, and I at the Thanksgiving Dinner

Sandra, my Sustainable Policy professor, and I at the Thanksgiving Dinner

Sandra, my Sustainable Policy professor, and I at the Thanksgiving Dinner

We still waited quite a time for the food! That may have been the only bad part of the evening though. The wait staff kept bringing a steady supply of fresh bread with butter to my table in particular (Many vegetarians, one vegan, and me, the “flexitarian”) Our first course was a kurbissuppe or pumpkin soup and our second course was a wonderfully dressed selection of salad and vegetables. The main meal was different than what I am used to. For me, it was in a good way. We got small cylinders of what I assume was their version of stuffing. Many of the other students mentioned they missed “real” stuffing. Mashed potatoes, warm applesauce, corn, carrots…. more bread. The pièce de résistance were the mushrooms in cream sauce. I have always been a huge mushroom fan, but never in my life have I experienced them in a more mouth-watering way. The one small piece of turkey I ate from someone else’s plate was very nice, better than the turkey I eat at home. The dessert left a lot to be desired (no pumpkin or apple pie), but we were entertained by two IES students, Ben and Katrina, singing songs from Sound of Music. I left the Schlossberg restaurant happy and very full of Thanksgiving food. IES really pulled out all the stops.

mushrooms

Those mushrooms…. I will never forget them.

The following weekend after Thanksgiving, I began my exploration of the Christmas Market in Freiburg! There were bright lights, people selling their crafts (glass, wood, ceramics, you name it). My friend Dave and I shared glühwein which is traditionally a mulled red wine for the winter season. (P.S. I am not a fan of glühwein) I also ate kartoffel puffers which are actually latkes! Dave had potatoes with a fried egg on top. There was flammkuchen (flat pizza), pasta, sauerkraut, burgers, sausages, cheeses, and sweets. Basically a smorgasbord! I returned to the markets the following day after a few hours of ice skating with my friends.

Kartoffelpuffer - yummy

Kartoffelpuffer – yummy

The next weekend I went to the Christmas Market in Colmar, France. First, my group got a tour of the city. We saw their Mannekin Pis, which was made to look like the one I saw earlier this year in Bruxelles, Belgium. Afterwards we saw the birthplace of Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, creator of the Statue of Liberty, which I saw for the first time right before coming to Europe. Colmar is obviously just on the border of France and Germany based on the different architectural styles and languages written and spoken there. In fact Colmar has switched 5 times between French and German rule.

Mannekin Pis à Colmar

Mannekin Pis à Colmar

The Christmas markets themselves were more spread out throughout the city (5 different areas), which was different from the centralized market in Freiburg.The glühwein here is made with the traditional wine and spices, but also has some brandy in it.  The white wine version here is made from Alsace grapes. There were also more crêpe and waffle stations and even a stall selling escargot. I almost tried it, but chickened out when I realized I did not know the proper way to eat them. Food etiquette is a pretty big deal to me in respecting a culture, so escargot will be on the list in the future. I also noticed more people selling lace products in Colmar and fewer wooden products. It was great to experience two different markets to get a feel for what they have in common and how regional differences play into their diversity as well.

Colmar Christmas Markets

Colmar Christmas Markets

A Santa spotting!

A Santa spotting!

Back at my flat, this winter season has brought with it many awesome surprises. One of my flatmates, Hanna, organized an advent calendar. Nine of the flatmates contributed 3 presents each (that were 5 euros or less in cost). We hung the presents up in the living room as part of our Christmas decorations. Each day one person opens the presents (we have a list on the wall to keep track of who opens a present on which day). So far I have opened two presents: a cloth pencil/paintbrush holder and a bar of chocolate. A few days ago I woke up and found Stutenkerl, barely sweet dough, in the shape of a man on the handle of my door. This was to mark St. Nikolaus Tag (St. Nicholas Day) on December 6th. French legend has it that a hungry butcher killed three lost boys, but that St. Nicholas brought them back to life. My flat had a Christmas dinner this weekend with knödel, which are round bread dumplings, along with different soups and salads. For dessert we had baked apples filled with nuts and topped with vanilla sauce. It was great to have this bonding experience just one week before I move out.

Advent Calendar

Advent Calendar

Baked goods for St. Nikolaus Tag

Baked goods for St. Nikolaus Tag

Christmas dinner with my flatmates

Christmas dinner with my flatmates

Which brings me to letting you know I have only:
-3 days left of class
-6 days left in the flat
-7 days until I see my parents who are coming here to Germany for Christmas (we are starting in Frankfurt, then Baden-Baden, Freiburg for Christmas, and Munich)
-24 days until I am home… after my parents fly back home from Munich I get to go on a weeklong tour of Europe

I am excited to enjoy my last month or so in Europe with family, friends, travel, and great food. But I really am also ready to come home to fulfill all my plans. Through this time abroad I set up an opportunity to shadow a genetic counselor, volunteer training at a domestic violence shelter in Richmond, and joined an organization called WILL* (formerly known as Women Involved in Living and Learning) at my school. I will also be able to declare a double major in biology and environmental studies and a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Not to mention when I get home I turn 21 two days after arrival, get to go to Washington D.C. with Oldham Scholars, and get to settle into the newest dorms on campus in Westhampton Hall. My life is filled with endless blessings. Coming to the end of my time in Germany allows me to reflect on how thankful I am for all my supporters, for all my challengers, and for my privileges, all of which have led me to live this full, spectacular life.

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Posted by dianaingermany

Oliver in Spain: Last Travel Experience

December 11, 2014

As soon as December hit I knew I had just over two weeks to make the most out of my remaining time in Europe and I knew that I wanted to spend my last weekend abroad in Valencia, so that left me with one weekend left to travel. After countless weekends of travel all over Europe (an unreal feat that will only hit me once I get back Stateside), coming to the realization that one excursion remained was rather shocking. That being said I knew exactly where I wanted to go, Florence. For some reason, and I have no idea why, this city had been on my list of places to visit the entire semester. I was able to gather a group of 8 close friends who were all thinking the same thing, “one weekend of travel left? Let’s do it big.” The plan was put into motion and a day later I had my tickets booked for Italy. Cities featured on this trip: Pisa, Florence, and Rome.

The first week of December absolutely flew by with our excitement for Italy and before we knew it we were crammed into our small seats on a RyanAir plane ready to take off. Just under two hours later we landed in Pisa raring to go and immediately hopped a bus to go see the tower, you know, the one that leans. We had already booked our bus into Florence so we had about a four hour gap to get to the tower, take your typical touristy pictures, grab lunch, and get to the main bus station.

As we were riding along the bus we were distracted by the beautiful Pisa sights…well actually Pisa doesn’t really have much to offer so we were just chatting until we stopped and some local said, “Tower. Now.” We hopped out of the bus and walked a few minutes until we saw it. Prior to laying my own eyes on it I wasn’t very convinced that it could be leaning that much, but wow. The degree of this tower just does not seem to add up. I still can’t wrap my head around how this tower seems to ignore the law of physics. After taking three pictures and waiting an hour for the girls to create a massive portfolio of every pose imaginable we made our way to a quiet restaurant. We sat down and ordered shortly after, pizza and wine for everyone. For the next four days there was a theme of pizza, pasta, and red wine for everyone. Not the worst order.

Leaning Tower

The Leaning Tower of Pisa

pizza

The first of many pizzas

That night we made our way into Florence. Our apartment was a 20 minute walk from the bus station so we took that opportunity to get some fresh air and see a little bit of this city. From the first minute, my standards were through the roof and Florence did not disappoint. Five minutes later we were walking past the massive Duomo, lit up by a full moon.

Florence duomo

The Duomo in Florence

Florence duomo 2

A side view

A little tired from all the travel in one day we decided to sit down for dinner. This was the best dinner I have had all semester, and not just because of the amazing food. Somehow we decided to go around the table telling our favorite three memories of our time abroad and then raising a glass to it. All of the memories from the entire semester came back and we spent hours laughing with one another. I am truly thankful for the friends I have found this semester and I know I am going to keep in touch with every one of them.

a little dysfunctional

My friends: A little dysfunctional, but that’s nothing new.

We all woke up the next day and while the girls were taking their time getting ready the guys were making plans: Duomo, City Center, Michelangelo’s David, Ponte Vecchio (Bridge), and finishing the day by looking over Florence as the sun set with a marvelous view thanks to the Piazzale Michelangelo. The entire time we were walking around the city I had a huge smile on my face. Looking back on it, I can easily say that Florence is one of the best cities I have ever visited. I love that place and I want to go back ASAP! Here are some pictures to give you a glimpse into the beauty I was seeing at every stop:

The face of the Duomo

The daytime face of the Duomo

The David

The copy of Michelangelo’s David statue that stands outside the Palazzo Vecchio.

View off the Ponte Vecchio

The view off the Ponte Vecchio

Florence city view

Florence at almost sunset

Oliver in florence

Me in Florence. What a view!

Unfortunately, we were only in Florence for a day and a half. Fortunately, our next stop was Rome. We took a three hour train into the city of Rome and took a short metro stop to our apartment. By now, traveling had become second nature. The feeling of getting into a completely new city and figuring your way around it is liberating. That night we took an initial visit to the Colosseum and saw the impressive building in all its glory. The Colosseum lit up in the evening is a special sight. We proceeded to walk around the city for a long time and found our way into a church, the Pantheon, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities (random, I know, but a very impressive building), as well as the Spanish steps. Dinner? You guessed it: Pizza.

Colosseo

The Colosseum in the evening

Interior of church

The organist in this church was playing Christmas music!

Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities

The Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities

Pantheon

The Pantheon!

Early Sunday morning we found out just how close we were to the Vatican City by walking 20 yards from our front door and passing through the Vatican Wall. Walking into the main plaza (Piazza San Pietro – St Peter’s Square) of the Vatican we found ourselves in the midst of hundreds of people. At first we thought this was a normal occurrence on Sunday, then we were informed that in 30 minutes the Pope was going to address everyone. What luck! Needless to say, we stayed put and shortly after the Pope appeared from a window. He was speaking in Italian so I wasn’t able to pick up on much (I thought Italian and Spanish were more similar than they are) but I did understand a few things!

St Peter's square and Pope

St. Peter’s Square

Pope

The Pope!

Seeing the Pope in person must have drained our resources of luck because we soon found out that everything in the Vatican Mueseum was closed because of a holiday. That meant no Sistine Chapel…! After a minute of sulking we rebounded by heading back to the Colosseum to actually go inside the building (we watched Gladiator the night before and were in the mood to get an even closer look). Our luck came back to us with free admittance. Without a doubt the Colosseum meets up to its hype.

Colosseo interior

The interior of the Colosseum

Oliver and friends in Colosseo

Me (far right) with my friends at the Colosseum

That was a very brief overview of my four day trip to Italy. There was a lot more that I got around to (including an impromptu dance party at a random book store in Florence) but I can’t include everything or this would turn into a thesis length blog post. Everything in Italy was amazing and Florence lived up to everything I had hoped for. That was one of my favorite excursion, thanks to great company and beautiful cities. I can’t wait to get back to Italy.

As I write this I am trying to get my head around the fact that I only have about a week left in Valencia. Everything is starting to feel very bittersweet because we are trying to do as much as possible, knowing that we don’t have much time left in Europe. Valencia has become a home for me and I do not think I am ready to leave it just yet. I will be enjoying this week to the fullest but I know my next blog post will be very difficult to write. Now I’m going to go play fútbol with my little host brother!

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Posted by OliverinValencia

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