fernweh
Wiesneck, 10:27 pm
Tomorrow morning all of us are heading to the train station here and then off to our various corners of Germany for the free week. A couple from the group already left tonight, actually. We've been sitting around chatting about the time we've spent here, and about how very random our group is. We have quite the assortment of personality types and interests, and yet we've gotten along wonderfully. I've had a great time with the people here.
We "hiked" up the highest peak in the Black Forest today, the Feldberg. It wasn't so much a hike as walking up a ski slope...I really wanted to ski. But it was great anyway, beautiful weather, not even that cold on the top. About half the group, including me, walked to the next peak which was a little bit higher, about twenty minutes' further walking, and it was just weird, because it was so foggy at the top that we could see little more than 30 feet at times. It was really disorienting. We would certainly have lost our path (we did have a guide; never fear) if it weren't for posts marking the way. Every so often a patch of fog would slide aside and we'd get glimpse of the surrounding mountains and see how high we really were, and then everything would be smothered in white again. I loved it.
So tomorrow Missy and I head to Munich and will be staying with a family who are friends of Missy's host family in Husum. I'm looking forward to it because it will be nice to practice my German one more time before leaving. And then after a couple days in Munich we'll head to Salzburg and reenact
The Sound of Music. Soon now I'll see or talk to all of you! Love you all...
Wiesneck, 12:17 am (Tues.)
Hard to believe a week from now I'll be in GR...I hate to leave Europe, but it'll be nice to be able to live without depending on train schedules and the amount of clothes that fit in a suitcase (some of which desperately need to be washed by now!).
We're here at a study center for a few days hearing lectures about German/American relations, and the effect of Germany on Europe and other such things. Then we have our free "week" (we got gypped cause it's really only four days) and it looks like Missy and I are headed to Munich first. I really want to see the Alps. We might go over the border into Austria for a day, and kind of see what happens after that.
The past week or so has been frenzied..it takes a little thought to remember what we did when. I loved Erfurt--the city was beautiful and historical and friendly and I wanted to spend a lot more time there. We stayed in a youth hostel but were led on city tours and invited to dinner by the family Sturm, who were absolutely terrific. All the people I've met and stayed with thus far in Germany have been great, and they all have really great houses or apartments to boot--all so interesting and tastefully decorated. Frau Roseman in Hoogstede remains a favorite, and I liked the group of high schoolers in Wittenberg, and the Sturms were great too. Oh yes, Germans use real candles on their Christmas trees too. They look different from the conglomeration of homemade and various gift ornaments on American Christmas trees; Germans use far fewer ornaments, maybe just some woven stars and then the candles. It's really beautiful.
We were in Eisenach for one night last night, and Sunday evening we went to Bach's house and had a short tour and then a private concert with Baroque instruments. We heard a couple organs and a spinet and a harpsichord, along with a Baroque violin and a soprano. I loved it, and thought about Jane Austen the whole time, although the lyrics were in German. Then this morning we hiked up the Wartburg, at the top of which Martin Luther hid from whoever wanted to kill him. It was snowing, but not too cold, except where it was extremely windy on top. The fortress was great though. I'd like to go back when it's clear and see how far I can see.
I want to go back to everywhere I've been so far in Germany. This is a great trip for getting an overall view of the country, but everywhere I go I feel like I need more time when it's time to leave. I guess I'll just have to come back and bring all of you with me next time! Actually, having been in Germany and talked with Italians and seen Italian art and architecture, I think Italy is going to have to be high on my lists of the next places I want to visit. And now I'd like to learn some Italian too--the Italians, of course, tell me it's far more beautiful than German. And it's occurred to me also, being here, that traveling in a foreign country must be so much better when one has at least an elementary grasp of the language. So I intend to get myself an elementary grasp of every language in the world.
Erfurt, 11:00 pm
Wittenberg was a rushed three days with a great host family and very little free time. I was catching up on sleep from the time in Berlin when I wasn't running around with my host sister, but I think I'm doing pretty well by now.
Today we took a day trip to Weimar by train, about a 20 min trip or so. We had a tour of Buchenwald concentration camp, which was...well, effective to say the least. I've read dozens of stories about the Holocaust and such, but being in the actual place was a heavy experience. The sheer expanse of it is amazing...the fact that the Nazi regime had such a huge effect on the population. Our tour guide said there were 50 different countries represented among the inmates of Buchenwald. The camp was built purposely on the most weather-beaten side of the mountain it's on. Today it snowed while we were there, and the wind was bitingly harsh. The whole time I could only think about the prisoners who were made to stand outside in such weather for up to 18 hours at a time, wearing far less clothing than I had on, and I was shivering. It was hard to look at, but I'm really glad I got to see it.
The rest of the day in Weimar was more cheerful. For once during a city tour it was sunny (we seem to bring rain and snow with us wherever we go in this country). We saw the famous Goethe and Schiller statue and went through Goethe's house. I liked Weimar a lot. It's relatively small, and the atmosphere was similar to that of Lübeck. Lots of history, and especially a history of good literature, of which of course I'm a big fan. At the same time though, the history is so mixed, because Weimar was one of Hitler's favorite cities, and he visited it a lot. The shadow of Buchenwald, so to speak, hovers over the rest of the city.
We've seen so many old churches here, but they never cease to amaze me. Someone was practicing the big organ when we went into the Thomaskirche in Leipzig, where Bach directed the choir. Big organ music in a big church is great, really. And the cobblestone streets are everywhere..I'll miss that when I get back to the States. But I definitely can't wait to see all of you...love you all!
Berlin, 10:17 pm
Last night in Berlin, and I feel like I've barely had the chance to get to know this city. Well, obviously, since it's pretty big. And there really isn't one single downtown area, so I feel like there are a million things I haven't seen. I could probably come back here for the same amount of time again and avoid everything I've seen so far and still have plenty to do. Of course, that could be true of any big city; I don't know cause I haven't been in many. But I think Berlin especially. Right now I'm in a different Interent cafe (they're everywhere) and it's in a Dunkin' Donuts. Real German culture, right here. Actually I think English-speaking people are drawn to the familiar pink and orange sign, cause I've heard more English here than German.
I can't even begin to talk about Berlin...there's so much here, so many impressions that I'm going to need to write down soon. I know I'm taking it for granted that I'll remember the little things. You know what I miss though, is big cups of coffee and cappuccino, etc. Every time you order something like that here, it comes in a little cup and lasts about 4 sips. Of course, there also aren't so many fat people here...
Last night was a blast. Professor Carvill's nephew Knut (what a terrific, utterly German name) and his friend Martin took us out to see the Berlin nightlife from a Berliner's perspective. And it was genuine Berliner perspective, cause we went to clubs that no tourist could find if they were trying. Through alley and up staircases and it looks like there's nothing there until you're in the room, and it's full of people and conversational furniture, and they're playing really interesting music. (It's kind of disappointing how many stores and restaurants here play American top 40.) We went to a place called Erdbeer ("strawberry") where the specialty is, of course, strawberry smoothies, and the decor was entirely red--walls, chairs, lights, everything.
Tomorrow we get on the train to Wittenberg, where we'll be with another host family. I've gotten an email from my host sister who is 17. So far I've had a host family with no kids, one with young kids, and now one with older kids, so I think that turned out nicely. I'm looking forward to staying with a family again because I'll have to practice my German. I don't have to speak it nearly as much here in Berlin cause I'm mostly with the American group.
Thanks everybody for your emails--South Dakota and Calvin seem far away, and I feel like nothing should be happening while I'm not there. So don't have any fun or anything...but yeah, thanks for the updates. I promise I'll answer all the questions you want when I get back since I never have enough time now. Umm, some random stuff...it's been rainy here. They don't get much snow, but we had some in Husum and the first couple days in Berlin, so I think we bring the weather with us. Oh, remind me to tell you about the Italian pizzeria. I'm getting better at typing on a German keyboard. There's a giant green-frosted donut on the window...do they really make green donuts? And everybody here (the women, I mean) wears boots with stilletto heels and pointy toes, and I feel very clunky in my Docs. I bought some cool European pants. I love the stores here. And we went to a flea market today. Okay, that's it for now, cause I think my time is running out...love you all!!
Berlin, 10:15 pm
Well, at long last I'm in a European Internet cafe. It's not so much a cafe as just a place with a bunch of computers. But anyway...only two days so far in Berlin and I could write forever. We've seen the House of the Wannseekonferenz, where high-up members of the German government met to decide the "final solution" to the Jewish "problem". We went to the Berlin Philharmonic, which was incredible. Today we saw Checkpoint Charlie, and I went to Potsdamer Platz with a few people in our group and we saw where the Berlin Wall used to be and a piece of it still standing. This afternoon we were led through what used to be a Stasi interrogation prison in the former East Berlin, and our tour guide was once a prisoner there. It was unbelievable, really. His cell couldn't even have been 6 feet across. I liked him a lot.
I really can't do justice to any of this stuff right now since I don't have a lot of time, but hopefully I'll be able to come back here soon--it's not far from our youth hostel. I have to answer all you guys' questions, which I promise I will do in due time. But for now--love you all lots and lots!!!! Tschuss!
Husum, 5:40 pm
Blast, I just wrote a bunch of stuff and then something happened and it all disappeared....
Tonight is our last night in Husum. We're doing a talent show for the host families, which should be interesting. (The Calvin students always do.) I have to say I won't be sorry to leave tomorrow morning. This is partly because we're going to Berlin next and I'm really looking forward to it, and partly because Husum hasn't been especially great to me. The host families are a big part of the experience, obviously, and of course no one can beat Frau Rosemann in Hoogstede, but I really haven't been able to connect with this family. I haven't been able to understand them as well; why, I don't know because I can understand the other families and the tour guides here fine. By now I'm getting most of what they say, but their assumption is that I understand very little, so they're rather condescending. Yannik doesn't hesitate to roll his eyes when I don't get it, but of course the parents are too polite to; they just talk over us. I don't feel as welcome here as I did in Hoogstede. The Germans here when they get in big groups tend to ignore the Americans. The result is that my German hasn't improved much here.
The town of Husum itself is rather average. The harbor is neat, and they're directly on the North Sea. Yesterday my family took me to a museum and I saw all kinds of sea creatures that live in it. But other than that, it's not nearly as beautiful as Lübeck or impressive as Hamburg or cozy as Hoogstede. Before it begins to sound like I hate it here, however, I have to say that here I feel that I'm getting a look at everyday German life. I'm in a town similar to my hometown, and staying with a family very similar to mine, and the parents here talk to their kids about the same things American parents do. Pretty much every night we go to the cafes, which I really like here, cause the atmosphere is great. Our group of Americans is turning out to be a pretty great group too.
The high point of the last few days has been the day trip we took to Schleswig, about 20 minutes away by train. We saw a kind of museum there about the
Moorleichen--"bog corpses". There are bogs around here where they've found all kinds of stuff (including people) preserved by the chemicals in them, from the Iron Age, so they're hundreds of years old. The best part of Schleswig though was the cathedral (the
Dom, they call the biggest churches) we saw. It was more beautiful by far than any of the churches we've seen yet--incredibly decorated, carved, chiseled, painted. There were dozens of arches in the ceiling and all kinds of centuries-old statues and pictures. The altar was unbelievable. This kind of altar is a great wooden carved structure, like a kind of cabinet that opens and closes, and I think they're usually Communion altars. This one was about 16 meters high from the ground up, and there are over 400 carved figures in it, in a dozen or so scenes from the Bible. The intricate detail was overwhelming, and the thing is absolutely beautiful in its symbolism. I really liked the pastor who led us through the Dom. He even took us up into the tower, up this unending spiral stone staircase with frighteningly narrow steps. We could see a long way out the windows up there. Then we went to the
Dachboden. I don't know it in English, but it's basically inside the roof, and we saw all the arches in the ceiling of the church from the other side, great mounds of stone rising on either side of the wooden planks we stood on. The stones were rough and grey on this side, while on the other side, they're all white and beautifully covered with paintings and murals. All of these paintings, which line the sides of the arches and compose giant scenes in the peaks, were covered during the Renaissance with white paint. (We've seen this in other churches too.) During the bombing in World War II, the heat made the paint crack and the colors showed through, and then renovators restored all the medieval paintings. There were more in the Schleswig Dom than anywhere else. It was absolutely incredible. Walking to the train station from the Dom, I saw an apartment with a "For Rent" sign, and I thought, what if I just stayed here? Hehe, don't worry, I'm coming back to the States. But I'm definitely coming back here sometime too, and bringing all of you with me so I can show you everything I've seen.
Let me see, what have I not talked about...I'm becoming used to the differences, so they don't stick out to me and I forget to tell you about them. They always drink mineral water here, and if you want ice in a drink you have to ask for it. The food has been great, especially in the host families. Familie Iwers bought peanut butter for me the other day, and all the boys had to try it. They found it very sticky, and were astonished at the amount of fat in it. When I get back to America I'll miss all the different kinds of bread.
All right, must go now...probably next I'll write from an Internet cafe in Berlin.
The comments work now; I can see them.
Husum, 2:19 pm
I find it incredibly hard to believe that I haven't even been here a week yet. It feels like at least three. But so far it's been terrific. I can understand most of what I hear, unless it's really technical or too fast, like on TV or something. My speaking is getting better, and the host families are good about helping me say stuff.
We're in our second host families' houses now, in Husum, a smaller town not too far from Lübeck (about 20,000 people). My family here (we're by ourselves this time) has three sons: Yannik is 9, Niko 11, and Finn 15. Kids can be easier to understand, when they don't speak incredibly fast, because they speak simpler German. Yanni is the funniest. He told me at dinner last night that I looked "etwas dick" (kind of fat) from far away, but when he saw me closer up he changed his mind and assures me I'm not fat, although his brother is. His mom was a bit chagrined, but we all laughed. The kids also think it's funny that I eat with my fork in my right hand and my left hand on my lap. Germans eat everything with fork
and knife, fork in left hand and knife in right. Yanni has decided to eat like an American while I'm here, and he struggles to use the fork with his right hand. They were also confused as to how I get the last pieces of vegetable on my fork if I don't use my knife to push them on.
Last night Yanni and Niko and I went outside and did some firecrackers--sparklers and snaps. It's only legal to buy fireworks on New Year's, so the Germans buy a million and light them off all night long. We were in Lübeck for New Year's Eve, and starting at 4 pm or so the kids start lighting firecrackers in the streets--these narrow, cobblestone streets lined with houses and cars. Later that night we had to be a little careful walking around, cause they throw these firecrackers with abandon (out 2nd story windows sometimes), and they're not all that small. The next morning the streets were covered with paper and cardboard from the night before.
We spent most of our time in Lübeck in the Old City, not a long walk from the youth hostel. It was absolutely beautiful, and the mixing of old and new was really neat. It's not like American historical sites where everything is a reenactment of the time; in Lübeck there are still services in these centuries-old churches (we went to one) and they still use the incredibly ornamental Rathaus (government building). I have a million things to say about Lübeck but not enough time now (we're meeting the group again at 3) so I'll have to do it later.
In between Hoogstede and Lübeck we were in Hamburg for an afternoon. Not near enough time to see the 2nd biggest city in Germany, but we got to walk around the "downtown" area, a big shopping district with stores like Versace, Hugo, Swatch, and go into the St. Peter Church. On the street we saw and organ grinder and a saxophonist playing for tips, and a group of people dancing to what sounded like old Jewish music. They wanted us to come join their community in the south of Germany where they live like the early Christians.
I can't write enough about this trip--there are so many different aspects from which to look at the experience. The group of Americans itself (which is an odd assortment, but great really); the German people individually and as a whole; my grasp of the language; the cultural and historical and religious differences (today we had a discussion with a German pastor); and just the things I'm seeing and hearing. I'm taking lots of pictures, but of course they can't do it justice.
Must go now, but I'll be back later... Tschuss!
