Saturday, September 23rd:
I took the train to Köln today and it was AMAZING. Unfortunately I can't share my personal pictures with you at this time (because of the internet limit) but;
http://www.stanton.co.nz/oe/GERMANY/KolnDom.JPG
will take you to a nice night shot of where I was. The large building in the background is the Kölner Dom (Officially: Hohe Domkirche St. Peter und Maria). We actually climbed the stairs up to the bell tower, and then even further up to the very top. Also in that picture is the Rhein River where we sat and ate dinner and watched the sunset. Previous to dinner we (friends and I) went to the Ludwig Museum of Art where I saw several Andy Warhols (including his multi-colored Marilyn Monroe's), over 40 Picasso paintings, sketches, and sculptures, as well as some pieces by Salvidor Dali and Matisse.
Taken from Wikipedia (I can't believe I just cited Wikipedia):
"The cathedral is a World Heritage Site, being one of the best-known architectural monuments in Germany, and Cologne's most famous landmark, described by UNESCO as an "exceptional work of human creative genius".[1] Cologne Cathedral is one of the world's largest churches, being the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe. For four years, 1880-84, it was the tallest structure in the world, until the completion of the Washington Monument followed by the Eiffel Tower. It has the second-tallest church spires, only surpassed by the single spire of Ulm Cathedral, completed ten years later in 1890. Because of its enormous twin spires, it also presents the largest facade of any church in the world.
The quire of Cologne Cathedral, measured between the piers, also holds the distinction of having the largest height to width ratio of any Medieval church, 3.6:1, exceeding even Beauvais Cathedral which has a slightly higher vault. [2]
Construction of the Gothic church began in 1248 and took, with interruptions, until 1880 to complete – a period of over six hundred years. It is 144.5 metres long, 86.5 m wide and its two towers are 157 m tall. [3]"
For more info and pictures: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cologne_Cathedral
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
I HAVE INTERNET (Second Week)
In a nutshell this week was good and bad.
Saturday, September 15th - I went to Düsseldorf with a group of friends, walked along the Rhein and had lunch in this nice little restaurant Corey-the-Kansan knew. It was a surprisingly beautiful day (the first week I was here it was COLD and it RAINED A LOT). Düsseldorf is (from what I was told) the fashion capitol of Germany (Yes Natalie, I'm already planning to take you there when you come to visit) and has several couture/major designer stores.
This is the only day I really remember distinctively from this week. But here are the highlights (& lowlights):
+Dinner club was born. A group of friends and I've formed a dinner club were we all buy groceries and cook dinner together at a different persons flat each night. Basically what it's amounted to is me cooking dinner for 8-9 people in a different kitchen each night. Honestly it's a pretty good deal though because I love to cook and it's REALLY cheap to do in comparison to eating out or even buying single serving meals. Not to mention the food's a lot better. Usually it cost each of us 2 Euro ($2.80 USD) for a full meal. Tonight I'm making Shepherds Pie, Toss Salad mit Tomate und Gurken und Krauter Dressing, Bread (from the Bakery), and hot Potato Skin Chips beforehand. Not a bad meal for the price. Last night we had chicken breast wrapped in a strip of bacon with string cut green and red bell peppers, carrots, and celery sauted in white wine.
+Going to Düsseldorf of course.
-I found out that Dortmund students have a limit on their internet (it's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard... seriously) which means I may have problems putting pictures up. What I think I'm going to do is every once in a while go into the StadtCentrum (city center) and just go to an internet cafe and upload there. I guess if you go over your limit here (which is quite low) not only do they not warn you when you're getting close, but they shut off your internet for the rest of the month.
-I learned a lot about German administrative practices... and they're horrible! Office hours do exist, just oddly. For instance, one office I know if open three days a week for three hours a day and the times are different each day. Most of the offices are actually like this I guess. It makes getting anything done nearly impossible. Even the bank is this way, and as I've mentioned before, the country damn near shuts down on Sundays.
Saturday, September 15th - I went to Düsseldorf with a group of friends, walked along the Rhein and had lunch in this nice little restaurant Corey-the-Kansan knew. It was a surprisingly beautiful day (the first week I was here it was COLD and it RAINED A LOT). Düsseldorf is (from what I was told) the fashion capitol of Germany (Yes Natalie, I'm already planning to take you there when you come to visit) and has several couture/major designer stores.
This is the only day I really remember distinctively from this week. But here are the highlights (& lowlights):
+Dinner club was born. A group of friends and I've formed a dinner club were we all buy groceries and cook dinner together at a different persons flat each night. Basically what it's amounted to is me cooking dinner for 8-9 people in a different kitchen each night. Honestly it's a pretty good deal though because I love to cook and it's REALLY cheap to do in comparison to eating out or even buying single serving meals. Not to mention the food's a lot better. Usually it cost each of us 2 Euro ($2.80 USD) for a full meal. Tonight I'm making Shepherds Pie, Toss Salad mit Tomate und Gurken und Krauter Dressing, Bread (from the Bakery), and hot Potato Skin Chips beforehand. Not a bad meal for the price. Last night we had chicken breast wrapped in a strip of bacon with string cut green and red bell peppers, carrots, and celery sauted in white wine.
+Going to Düsseldorf of course.
-I found out that Dortmund students have a limit on their internet (it's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard... seriously) which means I may have problems putting pictures up. What I think I'm going to do is every once in a while go into the StadtCentrum (city center) and just go to an internet cafe and upload there. I guess if you go over your limit here (which is quite low) not only do they not warn you when you're getting close, but they shut off your internet for the rest of the month.
-I learned a lot about German administrative practices... and they're horrible! Office hours do exist, just oddly. For instance, one office I know if open three days a week for three hours a day and the times are different each day. Most of the offices are actually like this I guess. It makes getting anything done nearly impossible. Even the bank is this way, and as I've mentioned before, the country damn near shuts down on Sundays.
I HAVE INTERENT! (First Week)
Here's a brief look at the first week I spent in Germany minus some of the gory details. I managed to keep up with this every day, but as you'll notice in the next few posts that will hopefully catch you up to date, I didn't journal everyday. Needless so say, they're far more abbreviated.
POST #1: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: My “Warm” Reception
Originally I had written about four pages for this entry alone, but on Monday my perception of the country drastically changed. So instead of the windy rant I’d originally intended to post I’ve instead elected to provide this brief time line with some minimal explanation.
Friday, 10:45 a.m. – Fly out of OMA to ATL, then from ATL to DUS.
Saturday, 9:50 a.m. – Arrive in Dortmund
Saturday, 10:30 a.m. – Arrive at student apartment; briefly meet one of three girls I’ll share the apartment with.
And since everything in Germany closes early – regardless of the day –but especially on weekends I spent the next two days hermitting in my room hoping my one present roommate would share her food with me. Over the course of the weekend [Saturday morning-Monday afternoon] I had three eggs, one piece of bread, and three cooked cups of rice. Those of you who know me and know how much I like to eat know that I was starving… because that’s something I’d generally eat for a meal [minus some of the rice of course]… normally I wouldn’t even try to make that last forty-eight hours. Needless to say my first few days here were rather miserable and lonely. In fact, the most human contact I had was with Abide (Ah-bee-day), my roommate, which largely consisted of bilingual miscommunication and charades for no more than thirty minutes a day. Other than that, I was alone.
This brings us to Monday morning…
POST #2: Monday
At about nine this morning I went to the initial meeting point for the American students before we all went to our pre-class orientation. I’ve never been so excited to see strangers. There are a few Americans here – all with varying degrees of knowledge of the German language. For instance, some Alabama school just joined the ISEP network so they sent six of their students to the same school and none of them have had any German. I repeat, NONE. (They’re screwed) Then there are those who’ve literally been taking courses for nine or ten years.
Fast Forward – Everyone took a language placement test and multiple tours of Dortmund’s very large campus.
In the end they divided us up into three groups based on ability and I was placed in the second group… which was pleasantly surprising. Like I said, they administered a test to everyone with consisted of a few personal questions, a partner interview section which was later used to gauge our speaking ability, and then a short essay portion. I guess I just though I’d be in the first level considering how much German I’ve had, but I must be doing somewhat better than I thought. (More on this later)
POST #3: Tuesday – Thursday
In a nutshell I’ve been going to class and to “tutorial” (tutorial in short is a mandatory program that they set up nearly everyday after lunch where they parade us around the city as tourists – fannypack optional). It’s kind of funny right now, because we have a good deal of homework for the class we’re taking, then we have these damn tutorial things (which last forever) and our professors and the people in the international affairs department people keep asking us how we like the pubs and where we went out last night and then look surprised (shocked even) when we (the majority of the Americans) explain that A. We did homework and went to bed and or B. We don’t drink. (That’s right, I’m not the only one here… in fact two of the first people I really met, Gwyndolyn and Cory, also Americans, don’t drink. Cory doesn’t drink at all, he’s thirty and he’s never touched a drop in his life. Gwyndolyn’s twenty-two and drinks the same way I do; once in a blue moon she’ll have a glass of wine.) But as I was saying, they seem rather surprised… but in our defense (as raunchy, impolite, alcohol crazed American students) we’re insanely tired. They do A LOT of walking here... I’d say I walk at least five miles a day from place to place. Not like get up from your chair walk to the other room walking, like walk from 16th & G to 27th & A to 18th & Washington to 10th & O. walking. I walk twenty-five minutes to class (walking fast) then ten to lunch, then twenty back to my place, then fifteen to the campus train station. There’s a lot of walking done here…
POST #4: Friday
I’m playing hookie today. Why you ask? Because I learned a new German word this week, "durchfall," oder auf Englisch; diarrhea.
POST #1: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: My “Warm” Reception
Originally I had written about four pages for this entry alone, but on Monday my perception of the country drastically changed. So instead of the windy rant I’d originally intended to post I’ve instead elected to provide this brief time line with some minimal explanation.
Friday, 10:45 a.m. – Fly out of OMA to ATL, then from ATL to DUS.
Saturday, 9:50 a.m. – Arrive in Dortmund
Saturday, 10:30 a.m. – Arrive at student apartment; briefly meet one of three girls I’ll share the apartment with.
And since everything in Germany closes early – regardless of the day –but especially on weekends I spent the next two days hermitting in my room hoping my one present roommate would share her food with me. Over the course of the weekend [Saturday morning-Monday afternoon] I had three eggs, one piece of bread, and three cooked cups of rice. Those of you who know me and know how much I like to eat know that I was starving… because that’s something I’d generally eat for a meal [minus some of the rice of course]… normally I wouldn’t even try to make that last forty-eight hours. Needless to say my first few days here were rather miserable and lonely. In fact, the most human contact I had was with Abide (Ah-bee-day), my roommate, which largely consisted of bilingual miscommunication and charades for no more than thirty minutes a day. Other than that, I was alone.
This brings us to Monday morning…
POST #2: Monday
At about nine this morning I went to the initial meeting point for the American students before we all went to our pre-class orientation. I’ve never been so excited to see strangers. There are a few Americans here – all with varying degrees of knowledge of the German language. For instance, some Alabama school just joined the ISEP network so they sent six of their students to the same school and none of them have had any German. I repeat, NONE. (They’re screwed) Then there are those who’ve literally been taking courses for nine or ten years.
Fast Forward – Everyone took a language placement test and multiple tours of Dortmund’s very large campus.
In the end they divided us up into three groups based on ability and I was placed in the second group… which was pleasantly surprising. Like I said, they administered a test to everyone with consisted of a few personal questions, a partner interview section which was later used to gauge our speaking ability, and then a short essay portion. I guess I just though I’d be in the first level considering how much German I’ve had, but I must be doing somewhat better than I thought. (More on this later)
POST #3: Tuesday – Thursday
In a nutshell I’ve been going to class and to “tutorial” (tutorial in short is a mandatory program that they set up nearly everyday after lunch where they parade us around the city as tourists – fannypack optional). It’s kind of funny right now, because we have a good deal of homework for the class we’re taking, then we have these damn tutorial things (which last forever) and our professors and the people in the international affairs department people keep asking us how we like the pubs and where we went out last night and then look surprised (shocked even) when we (the majority of the Americans) explain that A. We did homework and went to bed and or B. We don’t drink. (That’s right, I’m not the only one here… in fact two of the first people I really met, Gwyndolyn and Cory, also Americans, don’t drink. Cory doesn’t drink at all, he’s thirty and he’s never touched a drop in his life. Gwyndolyn’s twenty-two and drinks the same way I do; once in a blue moon she’ll have a glass of wine.) But as I was saying, they seem rather surprised… but in our defense (as raunchy, impolite, alcohol crazed American students) we’re insanely tired. They do A LOT of walking here... I’d say I walk at least five miles a day from place to place. Not like get up from your chair walk to the other room walking, like walk from 16th & G to 27th & A to 18th & Washington to 10th & O. walking. I walk twenty-five minutes to class (walking fast) then ten to lunch, then twenty back to my place, then fifteen to the campus train station. There’s a lot of walking done here…
POST #4: Friday
I’m playing hookie today. Why you ask? Because I learned a new German word this week, "durchfall," oder auf Englisch; diarrhea.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
No Internet... YET...
So I'm quite frustrated (I write from a public computer) because I don't have internet in my room yet. I was told Wednesday (last), which is turning into Monday or Tuesday. I have been writing though, so you'll all have plenty to read in a few days...
Til then, miss you all... well, most of you... ;)
Til then, miss you all... well, most of you... ;)
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
"Dortmund Doubles"
I received an e-mail from Angela Märtin, a member of staff on the American Studies
Department and the coordinator of the "Dortmund Double“ program, yesterday. Basically "Dortmund Doubles" is a program that Dortmund has for their international students that matches those who are studying abroad there with students from Dortmund who are interested in inter-cultural exchange (i.e. these student either have spent or will spend time aboard in the future). The goal of the program is to help students have a smooth transition onto the campus by showing us around, introducing you to friends, taking to you places off campus, etc. In addition, during the first few weeks (before actual classes start on October 15th) they've organized a lot of common activities for the exchange students (about 2,000 of us from what I understand) such as parties and trips.
Department and the coordinator of the "Dortmund Double“ program, yesterday. Basically "Dortmund Doubles" is a program that Dortmund has for their international students that matches those who are studying abroad there with students from Dortmund who are interested in inter-cultural exchange (i.e. these student either have spent or will spend time aboard in the future). The goal of the program is to help students have a smooth transition onto the campus by showing us around, introducing you to friends, taking to you places off campus, etc. In addition, during the first few weeks (before actual classes start on October 15th) they've organized a lot of common activities for the exchange students (about 2,000 of us from what I understand) such as parties and trips.
Monday, August 20, 2007
My Passport
A few days ago mom complained that I hadn't made any updates in a while. I told her that I hadn't left yet, and therefore had nothing to write about Germany. She suggested I let you all know that I "finally" go my passport. "Finally" is in quotations because of the amount of time it took me to get it. Recently, as I'm sure most of you have heard, the US passport office has been a complete and total mess. Horror stories of people waiting months upon month for thier passports and having to cancel vacations have been in heavy circulation. In fact, it's also been said that even those who shell out the extra cash to have thier passport expedited are still waiting nearly two months. My passport, on the other hand, took six days.
Mom was really upset about this though. According to my inside source (Kori) mom was hoping that my passport wouldn't come in time and that I'd have to stay home. Then she contemplated "losing" it... then she gave it to me in hopes that I would lose it for her, and now, word in the livingroom is that she's crossing her fingers and hoping that I change my mind.
Talk to you all soon,... time left remaining until Germany: 18 days, 8 hours
Mom was really upset about this though. According to my inside source (Kori) mom was hoping that my passport wouldn't come in time and that I'd have to stay home. Then she contemplated "losing" it... then she gave it to me in hopes that I would lose it for her, and now, word in the livingroom is that she's crossing her fingers and hoping that I change my mind.
Talk to you all soon,... time left remaining until Germany: 18 days, 8 hours
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Campustransport
Translation: Campus Transportation
Wesleyan is a "complete" campus. What I mean to say is that there is no "East Campus" like UNL or a "Nord Campus" and "Sud Campus" like Dortmund has. This makes it extremely convenient for me to get from class to another, as I'm almost positive you could walk from one corner of campus to the other in about five minutes. Dortmund, on the other hand, has two campus that are approximately 1.1 km (0.7 miles) apart. While that's not a terribly far distance, it's still longer than any walk you'll take on Wesleyan's campus. In finding this out, I also found out that Dortmund campus has a monorail system that connects the two campuses.
Below is a picture of the H-bahn route.
The H-Bahn located at the University of Dortmund, Germany, is an automatically controlled suspended monorail system in Germany. It carries more than 5,000 passangers per day. On May 2, 1984 this facility opened as the first system of this kind in Germany. It is integrated into the public transport networks of the city of Dortmund and the tariff union VRR of the Rhein-Ruhr district. The H-Bahn track length is approximately 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) long with two lines operating monday to friday from 6.26 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. Line 1 connects the district of Eichlinghofen with the science park with transfer stations "Campus Süd" and "Do-Universität S" every ten minutes. The coordinated time tables of the monorail and urban railway offer optimal connections to Düsseldorf International Airport and Dortmund central station. Line 2 connects the two university campuses in a five-minute cycle. The main route between "Campus Süd" and the branch to the station "Technologiezentrum" is used by both lines. With a minimum frequency of 40 seconds there are 36 scheduled runs per hour. (Excerpt taken from http://www.h-bahn.info/en/index.php)
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