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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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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.

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Jack in Czech Republic: Oktoberfest: Truths and Myths

October 2, 2014

Ah, Oktoberfest. An event that somehow combines the best parts of Halloween, Disney World, a family reunion, and Beerfest into a one-month celebration. One of the few things larger than the fest itself is the aura surrounding it. Because I have a whopping 48 hours of Oktoberfest under my belt, I deem myself credentialed to separate the truths from the myths, the facts from the legends, and the moderately exaggerated from the ludicrously overstated.

You need to get there early – Myth

The tents that serve beer open at 10:00 on weekdays and 9:00 on weekends, but people line up much earlier to ensure they get into the tent of their choice as soon as the gates open. As the fateful weekend approached, everyone’s supposed wake up times grew earlier and earlier. “Dude, you better get there by 7:30 or there’s no way you’re getting in.” “My friends went last weekend and they said you need to be there by 6:45.” “I’m gonna set my alarm for 5:45.” I did not arrive before noon on either of the days I attended. And guess what? I still got into a tent. Yes, some waiting was involved, but not as much as there would have been had I woke up at some devilish time. Maybe I missed out on the fun of waking up and hating yourself for a couple hours. Oh well.

You should book Oktoberfest well in advance – Truth

You don’t really have to. But do it. Your life will be easier. I knew people who booked their trips the week before, but they seemed pretty stressed out trying to get all the logistics together. Also, many places, especially cheap hostels and nice hotels, sell out well in advance. My advice: once you know you’re going to study in Europe, link up with your friends who will also be in Europe and book the trip. It will make for a great European reunion.

Oktoberfest is all about beer and nothing else – Myth

To me, this is probably the most exaggerated myth of all. There is so much more to Oktoberfest than the beer, which I was happy to see. In fact, Oktoberfest has activities for everyone. I saw people of all ages, including babies in strollers, at the fest. There are rides on rides on rides, a bunch of different types tents and exhibits, and almost too much different food to try. You could spend a whole day at Oktoberfest without approaching one of the beer tents and not see the entire grounds.

Some friends and ventured away from the wildness inside the tents and checked out some of the rides.

Beer, however, is important – Truth

While beer is certainly not the be-all end-all of Oktoberfest, it certainly has a role. The beer is delicious, but more importantly, it comes in steins. Few things are more fun than drinking large quantities of liquid out of a massive German stein. Most of the beer is served in gigantic tents, which have an unbelievable atmosphere. Thousands of people fit into these tents, and there is continuous singing and dancing on the tables. A personal highlight was when the large band played a great version of Sweet Caroline.

Gigantic is not an understatement.

Oktoberfest defines German culture – Myth

Whenever I brought up Oktoberfest to a Czech or German, they all seemed to give me an odd smirk and a quick chuckle before responding. It’s actually amazing how they all do it the exact same way. I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure it’s code for “Haha silly, naïve American. Look at you trying to be all cultural. You’re annoying.” I asked one German from Hamburg in one of my classes if he goes most years. Mistake. He legitimately laughed in my face, and said he never went and has no real desire to go. While there certainly was some celebration of German culture, Oktoberfest seems to be as much of a tourist event as anything else.

Stay out of the waitresses’ way – Truth

The waitresses are absolute machines. They are machines partially because of their work ethic. They carry large amounts of drink and food, navigate through dense crowds, and practically never spill nor slow down. They are also machines in the sense that they will not stop to talk and they won’t slow down if there’s an obstacle. So if you’re in their way, uh, move, or you will get steamrolled. And don’t ever trying tapping them on the shoulders or getting their attention when they are carrying food. You could get yourself a good ole’ German tongue-lashing. And you won’t get whatever it was you wanted.

Holding one stein is hard enough. These waitresses are constantly carrying eight. Eight!

Oktoberfest is overhyped – Myth

After months of build up, the hype surrounding Oktoberfest reached extreme levels. The anticipation began at UR last spring and carried through the summer. In Prague, it exponentially grew, as it seemed like someone was always talking about Oktoberfest. Despite the absurd amount of hype, Oktoberfest easily exceeded my expectations. There is just so much to do, so many people to see, and so much fun to be had. After Oktoberfest, most people who I spoke with about it said the same thing. If you study abroad in Europe, you have to check out Oktoberfest.

I must have mixed up my lederhosen with my Hawaiian shirt. Maybe next time I’ll get it right.

Thanks for Reading!

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

A few thousand of my friends and I at Oktoberfest.

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Oliver in Spain: This place is starting to feel like home

September 22, 2014

I’m finishing up my third full week in Valencia, and this place is starting to feel like home. I have become very comfortable with my family, and Mark and I frequently play FIFA and other games together. He’s definitely starting to look up to me, and is practicing his English with me too! Coming back to the house after a long day out feels very relaxing too.

I feel lucky to have an awesome friend group of about 15 people on my program with me. Friendships strengthen very quickly when everyone is put into a new culture with a new language. It’s nice to know that everyone is going through the same transition and that we have come to rely on each other a lot.

Valencia vs. Espanyol

Last weekend I had the opportunity to go to a Valencia football (soccer) game. I went with a few other friends and the atmosphere was like nothing in the United States. These people live and die by their football team. The stadium, La Mestalla, crams almost 60,000 screaming and jumping fans together for 90 minutes of pure enthusiasm. I have to be honest, I’m getting very attached to this team and will be picking up a jersey very soon. ¡Amunt Valencia!

Celebrating a goal! Final score: 3-1 Valencia

This was also my first weekend of travel outside of Valencia. Along with 8 of my friends, I went to the island of Ibiza off the East coast of Spain to celebrate my 21st birthday! Needless to say, we had a blast. We rented an apartment through Air B&B which we used as a base and as a place for family meals.

Spaghetti with a Chorizo and tomato sauce

Ibiza has a great nightlife, but it also has amazing beaches and cliffs. It was not at all what I was expecting going into it but we all had a great, and tiring, time.

Incredibly clear, blue water

Next weekend I’ll be crossing off another box on my bucket list by going to Oktoberfest from Thursday through Saturday. I’ll have another update next Sunday to let you all know how that goes!

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Diana in Germany Week Two: “The Skinny” on Freiburg

September 18, 2014

Every week of study abroad is like a month in “normal” time. I am experiencing so much and hopefully I can summarize all of it for you without it being really long!

The City of Freiburg
Probably the most notable landmark in Freiburg is the Münster cathedral. It is a 12th century church with amazing organs (I went to a concert there last week). There is a farmers market in front of it almost every day. There are also shops and restaurants on the square. Two other notable structures are the city gates. I see the one called Martin’s Gate every single day when I get off of my tram stop for school in the morning. The University of Freiburg itself was founded back in 1457 and is one of the oldest universities in Germany. It has buildings scattered throughout the city and many have their own history.

Münster Cathedral

Martin’s Gate

There are little stone paths for water, called Bächle, that crisscross through the streets of Freiburg. They are the old source of water for the town. If you accidentally step into one of these then the legend is that you will marry a Freiburger. This reminds me of the tales of kissing on the gazebo at University of Richmond – if you do not marry the person you kissed, you must walk backwards around Westhampton Lake.

Bächle – watch your step!

The ways that I access the city are through tram, bike, and by foot. The tram station is only a 3 minute walk from my flat. It takes 10 minutes by tram to get to the Holzmarkt stop, which is a 1 minute walk from my German classroom and a 2-3 minute walk from the IES Abroad office. For longer travel here, there is a large area for trains and buses that meet up by the “Hauptbahnhof” or Central Station. It is amazing how few people drive cars on a day to day basis. I love this custom so much I am beginning to consider only settling down in an area where it will be possible for me to walk, bike, or take public transportation easily. Biking is barely possible on the University of Richmond campus due to the amount of stairs and steep hills that cut off bike paths.

Food/Drink
So far I tried many different foods typical in Germany. At Münster market I have eaten bockwurst and bratwurst. Yes, they are different! A bockwurst is basically a hot dog (a LONG hotdog) and the bratwurst is a fried sausage. Both are put into a baguette and you can add beer mustard and curry ketchup, two delicious condiments. One night I ate a a fancier restaurant on the Münster square and got local fish. I tried a piece of someone else’s schnitzel, but still need to go order my own. I will tell you how that goes in my next post for sure! For Heather’s birthday we made a traditional Black Forest cake. It was SO delicious that I ate four pieces. No shame.

This fish looks as fresh as it tasted. The accompanying butter sauce was sehr gut.

On weekdays I tend to eat lunch at Mensa, the student dining hall. It is about 3 Euro for a meal and the portions are so huge that I bring a Tupperware container with me. This saves me a lot of money so I do not feel as bad when I splurge once or twice a week on a meal. I go there with friends Sarah and Dave from my language class and Anne from IES right now. For meals at home, I shop at a store called Rewe. There’s amazing pasta, sauces, fresh baked goods, fruit and vegetables.

I’ve tried a few different beers: Pilsner, Radler (lemonade + beer = yes), and Kristallweizen. Alcohol is plentiful and not as expensive as in the states. The main non-alcoholic drinks here are sparkling water and Apfelsoft or sparkling apple juice. I carry around my own still water from the tap at all times to keep hydrated, though a person may not drink from their water bottle inside a restaurant. You have to pay quite a bit of your own still table water, so my advice is to drink water before and after walking into a restaurant, that’s my advice.

Bockwurst Delight in Münster Square

Academics
The overall system of education as part of the IES Environmental Studies Program is that we take 5 classes. We only take 1 class at a time for three weeks each. My classes for the semester are as follows:

1) Intensive Elementary German
2) Ecology and Management of Forest Landscapes in Southwest Germany and the Swiss Alps (counts as an Environmental Elective)
3) Environmental Ethics (fulfills this Environmental Studies major requirement)
4) Sustainable Policy (fulfills another Environmental Elective)
5) Freiburg Green City (fulfills the Environmental Economics major requirement)

This past week in German class, we learned how to order food and discuss families and furniture. This video shows me performing the role of Verkäuferin (seller) and Quinn playing the role of Käufer (buyer).

There is an added social aspects outside of the classroom because the Language Institute puts on different programs such as day tips to Switzerland and France, local hiking trips, and other activities. So far I participated in a bar hopping experience and went on a vineyard tour in Tuniberg. This coming week I will be swimming at the University pool, going bowling, going to Titisee, and going on a 10km hike!

A Vineyard in Tuniberg

A Most Welcoming Meal: The owners of the vineyard brought us to their house and cooked for us.

Next Week
I will update you about how all the social events went and the analysis of stereotypes that I left out this week (I had so much to write about)! There may be other topics I explore as well. Tschüs!

Leave a Comment » | Diana in Germany, Fall 2014 | Tagged: Academics, Food, Germany, Public Transportation, Travel | Permalink
Posted by dianaingermany

Jack in Czech Republic: Pre-Flight Angst

September 11, 2014

Hello readers!

So let me give you a quick 411 about myself. I am Jack and I am a passionate sports fan from Worcester, Massachusetts. I am double majoring in Leadership Studies and Journalism. Oh yeah, and I am studying in Prague this semester.

So in less than 24 hours I will board a flight in Boston that marks the beginning of my coming semester in Prague. Ever since I learned I would be attending Charles University, I have been waiting to type that sentence. Yet, it still does not feel real to me, partially because I am not (yet) nervous about living in a foreign city where I do not know anyone well. I expected to be filled with anxiety the night before I leave, but for the most part, it has yet to come. My best hypothesis for my lack of angst: there are many other things that I am maybe illogically concerned about. Here are a few:

Cooking: Let me tell you, I make a mean peanut butter and jelly sandwich. That’s not all; my milk-to-cereal ratio in a bowl of cereal is inimitable. After these two works of art, however, my cooking skills drastically fall. Ideally, I don’t want to live off PB&Js and cereal for months, so I’m going to have to figure out other ways to feed myself. When I explained my cooking deficiencies to my mother a week ago she told me I should have started learning basic cooking techniques at the beginning of the summer. She was probably right. Angst level is high.

Housing: Students in my program live in flats or apartments amongst other Czech citizens, which will be a great way to gain exposure to the city and culture. Currently, I am missing an essential piece of this equation: a flat or apartment. The other students and I will spend the first few days looking for places to live, and our program leaders have assured us we will all find a place to live. I’m sure they know what they are talking about, but, like, what if? More angst.

Maps: My sense of direction is so bad that people will ask me if I’m serious when I request directions to a place I’ve been several times. In the States, however, I use my 4G network-run GPS whenever I have any doubts of where I’m going. In Europe, I will need to (Gasp!) read a map.

Not being nervous: Despite the aforementioned concerns, I am generally confident going into this experience. Shouldn’t I be scared? I am not a daredevil nor am I a veteran traveler. Here’s my best guess why I’m surprisingly self-confident: the amount of encouragement I have received from people who have visited Prague assures me that I will absolutely love the city. This encouragement has suppressed my worries, and now all I want to do is step on my plane.

Thanks for reading!

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

One of the hardest parts about leaving has been saying goodbye to my dog, Louie. Oh yea, and my parents and sister, too

1 Comment | Fall 2014, Jack in Czech Republic | Tagged: Adventure, Czech Republic, Housing, Preparation, Travel | Permalink
Posted by jackinczechrepublic2014

Diana in Germany Week One: Travel Nightmares, but Living the Dream

September 11, 2014

Arrival
So you know how people ask if you want the good or bad news first? We’re starting with the only thing that could be described as “bad” because it came first. Traveling was extremely stressful and full of sleep deprivation. I went a full 25 hours without sleeping and I have never done anything close to that in my life.

The goodbyes were somewhat easy (I didn’t cry! I totally thought I would). Thankfully I traveled with Heather, a girl from my living-learning community “Earth Lodge” from sophomore year. Heather and I both ordered white wine with our dinners on the plane, which marked the first legal drink of our trip. After this, things went downhill for me. I thought I would get 5 hours of sleep or so on the 8 hour flight, however several people kept their lights on or were watching movies the entire time. Regret filled me as I realized I had left my eye mask at home and there was no way I’d be sleeping before I made it all the way to Freiburg.

The train from Frankfurt to Freiburg was the worst part of the journey. Heather and I got in on the completely wrong end of the train and were 9 cars down from where we should have been. A bunch of Germans laughed at us for even trying. Heather helped keep things in perspective for me and we eventually made it to the right seats. Soon we got off, caught a taxi, and visited the IES Freiburg Center to get instructions. 24 hours after I woke up for my flight to Germany, I was finally in my dorm room. I quickly set it up and took a nice long nap before IES took us out for dinner.

Housing
My dorm is, in my opinion, the best possible dorm in terms of its “cool factor” and its “awesome flatmate factor.” Plants everywhere, huge shared kitchen, large lounge couches, party space with awesome speakers, very hippie vibe. My dorm room is plain, but who cares when the shared space is so spectacular?! Here are some pictures to really help you visualize this:

The outside of my hippie dorm

Our kitchen and living room

My plain dorm room

In terms of my flatmates, they immediately started inviting me out to things. Most of them are German, but they all speak English. They are Conny, Tobi, Sarah, Felix, Theresa, and Lovisa (who actually just left for a month for Algeria and lent me her bike in the meantime!!!). We also have a French guy named Simon who is here for 2 weeks. There is a lot of turnover in the household, especially in October when the “real” semester starts at Uni Freiburg. Apparently, other people in the IES program are not in contact with their flatmates much at all. I do not know a single other one who has a social life with their flatmates, so I consider myself EXTREMELY lucky to have them in my life as friends.

We’ve hiked up mountains, picked fruit, biked, swam in the Flückigersee lake, played games, shared dinner/wine, gone clubbing, and had a trilingual jam session together. In addition one of our neighbors, Judith comes over here a lot. She was the first person to do “cheers” with me, but here in Germany you say “Prost!” She also was the first to “invite” me to join her for ice cream, which here means she invited to pay for me! Thank you, Judith!

Flatmates Simon, Youdid, and Felix with zucchini

Flatmates Simon, Judith, and Felix with zucchini

Swimming at Lake Flückingersee

Orientation
IES had small orientation sessions on Monday and Tuesday to give us basic information about the surrounding area, such as where the best places to eat are, where to seek medical attention, where to buy things, and how to stay safe while doing it. Freiburg is relatively safe, but according to one of the IES employees, there has been a rise in thefts recently. We also were asked to attend a presentation on Thursday in order to learn more about getting involved in clubs or volunteering. There is also a Tandem Partner program that allows a German speaker and English speaker to informally practice conversing in the opposite language. I’m considering horseback riding, a cappella, dance, badminton, and am 100% sure that I will be volunteering at some point.

IES so far has mainly functioned as a “home base” in case we need them. I believe that some of my environmental classes later in the semester will be there though. Speaking of which….

Academics
German class started on Wednesday. My teacher is Andrea Snuggs (yes, her last name is awesome). She is very sweet, always open to questions, and creates an extremely interactive environment in the classroom. It is crazy, but I can already ask a lot of basic questions or ask how to say things in German without using any English in the process! German class and listening to my flatmates is obviously working. Monday marks our fourth day of class and we are already having a quiz on verb conjugations!

Basic German verbs and their conjugations

Next week
I will cover more about academics, such as the city of Freiburg and its surrounding, food and drink, stereotypes, and updates about travel and fun I am having. Tschüss!

Comments Off on Diana in Germany Week One: Travel Nightmares, but Living the Dream | Diana in Germany, Fall 2014 | Tagged: Academics, Culture, Germany, Housing, Language, Travel | Permalink
Posted by dianaingermany

Garrett in Bonaire – Mi prome siman! (My first week!)

September 8, 2014

Bon dia!

I have been on island a week now and I cannot begin to tell you how amazing this semester is going to be.

All checked in and ready to go on a 5AM flight to Bonaire!

As I said my goodbyes at the Philly airport at 5:00AM last Saturday, I was beaming with excitement. Time seemed to drag on as I sat in the airport waiting for my flight, but once we were in the air it wasn’t long before I was blissfully greeted by the teal blue waters of Bonaire just outside the plane window.

The brilliant waters of Bonaire greet me as we begin to descend!

Upon arriving at Flamingo Airport at about 2:00PM, two of the CIEE interns, Sasha and Noah, holding a stereotypical clipboard sign, welcomed me and another student, Jack. We then packed our luggage into the research station’s open-backed truck, hopped in, and drove off to our new home. We arrived at the residence hall to find that it was more like a large house; it has a communal full-service kitchen, living area, and study area, with seven 2-4 person rooms. We also were happy to learn that we were the first two students to arrive. There are normally 3 flights to Bonaire on any given day, and we arrived on the first. The remaining 9 students were arriving on later flights that would both get in after dinner. This basically meant, Jack and I had plenty of time to hang out before everyone else arrived. In fact, after unpacking most of our stuff, the interns took us to go swim in the ocean.

The ocean just outside of Yellow Sub will be my classroom for the next 90 days!

Directions: Walk one block north, make a left, and splash. Time: 30 seconds. After making the hike to the ocean, we all donned our snorkel gear and jumped into the brilliantly blue water. Just off the edge of the pier, the water is 8 feet deep. Here there are many bright colored fish, whose images I vaguely recalled from the flashcards I had made prior to coming to the program and whose computer images barely do them justice. However, if you swim just a hundred yards further, you reach the reef crest where the bottom rapidly slopes into the dark blue. This area is teeming with life! I won’t go in to too much detail here, as I will have plenty of opportunities to explore this amazing habitat that’s practically in my back yard. I mean, think about it; this is my classroom for the next 90 days!

The next day, after everyone had made it here safely the night before, we had a fun day of orientation complete with a trip to the grocery store, a formal tour of Kralendijk, stereotypical icebreakers, another dip in the ocean, and of course talks about the various logistical aspects of the program. And this wonderful day would not have been complete without a CIEE staff and student sunset BBQ overlooking the water.

Students, interns, staff, and professors gather for a BBQ dinner overlooking the setting sun over the ocean!

As the program is only 13 weeks, Monday, even though we had been here less than 48 hours, meant the start of classes. Luckily, our first day of classes consisted of a snorkeling field trip to the other side of the island to a protected shallow bay, which is one of the few seagrass habitats on the island. Not only is Lac Bay known for its seagrass and mangrove habitats, but it is also a perfect place for windsurfing, as it’s protected by the reef from heavy wave action, yet catches the wind all the same. While here, we took advantage of the opportunity to talk to the owner of the windsurfing club, Elvis Martinus. He was the first local to view windsurfing as more than just recreation and instead as a way to get the kids of the island involved in a sport and produce world-class level windsurfing champions. It was amazing to hear the about the culture of windsurfing in Bonaire, straight from the guy who started it all.

Later in the week, after some classes on how to identify various fish, corals, and coral diseases, it was time for our first scuba dives! Coming into the program, I had only acquired a PADI referral. This basically means that I had no prior open water diving experience. So these dives would count towards my four Open Water certification dives. Spread out over two days, we completed four open water dives exploring the reef just off shore and with that I am now a certified Open Water diver!

Congrats to Graham, Allison, and myself for completing our Open Water certification! We are the three newly certified divers!

As you can probably tell, I’m having a blast and cannot wait to further explore the island, the culture, and the reef of Bonaire!

Comments Off on Garrett in Bonaire – Mi prome siman! (My first week!) | Fall 2014, Garrett in Bonaire | Tagged: Adventure, Bonaire, Housing, Sightseeing, Travel | Permalink
Posted by garrettinbonaire

Diana in Germany: The Preparation Stage

September 2, 2014

Born and bred “Baltimoron” attempting to double major in biology and environmental studies here! It is my pleasure and privilege to share my thoughts with you as I experience IES Abroad’s Environmental Studies and Sustainability program in Freiburg, Germany.

Originally, I entirely avoided looking at Europe for study abroad and instead set my sights on Trinidad and Tobago. Hands-on exposure to the biodiversity there was the driving force behind the idea. However my mom saw the murder rate is top ten in the world and asked me to consider more options first.

Heading into the Office for International Education at my school, University of Richmond, I was pretty clueless on what to do next. My study abroad advisor, Abby Ward, had the solution up her sleeve: an environmental program in Freiburg, Germany with plenty of hands-on experience. Freiburg is also arguably the most eco-friendly city in an already eco-conscious country. The city is close to both the French and Swiss borders (see map below), so is a prime location for the various field trips to the Black Forest, Swiss Alps, Rhine River and Vosges Mountains. After that conversation there were no doubts that this would be the study abroad experience for me.

Freiburg is located only 32 and 20 miles from the Swiss and French borders respectively
Source: http://www.kraftyone.com/GermanyMap.gif

Thankfully I have already finished shopping and packing at this point, but now the “waiting” part is driving me insane. To distract myself from the huge transition looming in my future I made a road trip from Baltimore to Philly to New York City and back. In the past week I also went to a 21st birthday party that actually signifies a milestone, a classic rock concert, and an Orioles baseball game.

Statue of Liberty with my UR roommate as part of my mini-American tour

Baltimore Orioles game with my father

Stuffing “home” and “region” into a few weeks was a beautiful distraction, but it’s time to face the truth – the time between now and my flight to Germany is approximately 60 hours. I feel anxious, excited, and sometimes scared out of my mind (For instance, I don’t speak any German yet). Overcoming that fear and feeling of strangeness is going to be extremely rewarding. The next few months will be a roller coaster of emotions and experiences.

Indeed the Student Handbook for the IES program contained an image depicting the 10 stages of psychological states in the study abroad process and it looks quite like a roller coaster track. There are dips, (missing home, not feeling immediately attuned to the new culture), curves (periods of rapidly changing perspective), and peaks (gaining comprehension of German language and culture, greater knowledge of the surrounding area). My one experience with transition (from home in Baltimore to college in Richmond) is nowhere near as extreme as the one I am about to embark on. Understanding these emotional ups and downs might help, but past experiences and this graphic are not the things that have prepared me for this trip. I’m ready because my spirit is open for the new people, places, and perspectives waiting for me just around the corner.

Study Abroad Emotional Roller Coaster

Tune in next week to hear about my travel and orientation experience!

3 Comments | Diana in Germany, Fall 2014 | Tagged: Adventure, Germany, Preparation, Travel | Permalink
Posted by dianaingermany

Oliver in Spain: Time to Travel

Garrett in Bonaire – Mi trep na Kursou (My trip to Curaçao)

Diana in Germany Week Five: Double Dose Part II

Jack in Czech Republic: Oktoberfest: Truths and Myths

Oliver in Spain: This place is starting to feel like home

Diana in Germany Week Two: “The Skinny” on Freiburg

Jack in Czech Republic: Pre-Flight Angst

Diana in Germany Week One: Travel Nightmares, but Living the Dream

Garrett in Bonaire – Mi prome siman! (My first week!)

Diana in Germany: The Preparation Stage

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