Weihnachtsmärkte: A Photo Essay

The Römer, the oldest section of Frankfurt, provides a stunning backdrop for the festivities. Modern Frankfurt can be seen in the background in the shape of the yellow luminous Commerzbank tower.

One of my favorite shots. Crossing the street just before entering the Römer.

A shot of the crowd enjoying the chilly evening. Nearby are a stand selling goodies and the carousel.

One of the many stands selling warm food to frozen passersby. Many like to stand nearby in a tight circle while talking and enjoying Glühwein (mulled wine), my favorite German drink.

The carousel. Kids and adults alike enjoy going round and round...

A stand, this one selling different types of roasted nuts (almonds, chestnets, etc.)

The lights are both dazzling and helpful in lighting the path around the maze of stands and people.

Enjoying a conversation near the candy cane stand. Germany is in love with the many sweets offered this time of year.

Photos are the best way for me to explain the Weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas markets.) For perhaps a better explanation please visit this site: http://www.thelocal.de/lifestyle/20081126-15753.html.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!

23rd Birthday and Heidelberg

As the days have added up to my 23rd birthday (can 23 be called mid-twenties?), I’ve noticed a distinct change in the way I approach problems and even positive experiences. As an example, the other day as I was searching for a new apartment I could feel all the negative tension from my current situation building up in the background. I currently live in a place where a 60-something year old woman tries in an angry, condescending way to be my mother. She’s the typical stepmother type – all shouts and no praise. Finding myself in this undesirable situation, I’ve been forced at the same time to carry out the daunting task once again of apartment hunting. After several unsuccessful weeks of making calls and going to offices, I landed an appointment to look at a place. On my way that Wednesday evening I discovered, as I was searching for the place, that I had no idea how to get there. I noticed myself panicking, but not as much as I may have a few years ago. I turned this into an opportunity to practice some German by asking several passers-by for help. A half hour later I arrived and needed still more help because the landlord wasn’t there. The neighbor helped by allowing me to use the computer to find his phone number and then calling him. In the end everything worked out and I signed the lease.

As for the positive experiences, I’ve learned that many outcomes are good because one sees them that way. In other words, how one perceives his surroundings has a profound impact on his mood thereafter. I know that not all of life is going to be bliss – not every cloud has a silver lining. But there are some moments I’m so happy I can’t contain myself, such as the thought of seeing my family, friends and Dawn after 7 months, or stepping off the train and into a new city for the first time. However, my point is that while it’s easy to look at a good situation as an opportunity, even some seemingly bad set of circumstances can turn into an opportunity. When you’re lost in a foreign town, use it as an excuse to practice the language. When it’s too cold outside to run, do some push-ups instead. And if all else fails take a nap.

What’s the implication? My capacity to manage tension, stress, and other negative situations in general has grown to where I have a pre-scripted response to many now-common problems. I’ve learned to look at a larger range of situations as opportunities to improve myself AND others around me, if possible. No place to live in a new town? Use your resources. Your ride to Berlin gets cancelled? Find another. You’re living with an overbearing hermit? Get out your iPod and headphones.

Now for the Heidelberg trip. My friend Greg is in town for the week and mentioned wanting to make the trip to see the castle. After a hike through town we made it to the Old Town, where many traditional German pubs are located near the river. On our way Greg commented on how clean everything looked – the ground, the people, and even the air – after being in Syria all summer. We encountered rows of shops with apartments on top which gave it the feel of a typical small-to-midsize German town. After stopping several times to taste Kürbissuppe (pumpkin soup) and other local cuisine and the local beers we saw the castle on the hill. My favorite parts were the views from the top, but Greg clearly enjoyed wandering through the ruins and the German pharmacy museum inside. The town sat in a valley through which a river runs, all of which made a striking scene. I’ve found that I really enjoy the small-town feel many old German cities provide. You feel as though you’re walking through history as you enjoy the classical buildings, the rivers, the museums, the churches, while munching on a bratwurst with mustard. This weekend we’re going to Berlin (!!!!!!), which is a far cry from small-town life.

King of the Castle

A discovery on the way up

View of castle from city center

Looking through the bars

Greg

Hauptstraße, Heidelberg

Thoughts on the 2008 Election

As I've said before, "You've done it, America! Germany is celebrating with you."

These words sum up the hopes and dreams of one of America's strongest allies in Europe and also the world. After waiting nearly two years since the candidates began announcing their candidacies we finally have a man to call our 44th President.

Poll after poll of residents of foreign countries shows a common theme: People said in a 3-or-4-to 1 margin that Obama is the man who can give the world hope, and prove that the American people are less ignorant and bigoted than once thought. I myself have been quite harsh in my opinion of my own people, but am slowly coming to terms with the truth: a new generation has dawned in America. This new generation is not afraid of racial, religious or partisan barriers, and in fact is willing to elect a man they believe is more qualified, regardless of the color of his skin. Exit polls showed that in this election, while race mattered to some people, the candidate's age was more of a concern among voters. Many, including myself, thought that the Bradley Effect would possibly rear its ugly head again, but no such thing happened. We voted for the right man at the right time.

I especially enjoyed browsing through the many trends during the past three elections. This year, Hispanics went 67% for Obama - this compared with the 53% John Kerry managed four years ago. A focus on this mammoth minority group helped him win states like New Mexico, Nevada and Florida. His pre-election focus on suburbia (82 million people in cities of 100,000 or more) paid off in states like Virginia, North Carolina and even Ohio, all of which went for Bush four years ago. And young Americans (18-29 years old), who went 66% for Obama compared with 54% four years ago, helped propel Obama even in many rural areas of Indiana, Colorado and Wisconsin, among others. In fact, when compared with John Kerry in 2004, Obama did better among all voter groups (all income groups, all races, and even among republicans, etc.) except two: gays/lesbians and those over 65 years of age.

After promising a "seemless transition" of power from himself to President-Elect Obama, President Bush has thus far made good on his word. Monday he and his wife Laura gave the Obamas a personal tour of the White House, which concluded with a meeting between Bush and Obama. Will both men be willing, for the next 70 days, to put aside differences and work together for a successful transition in a time when the American people need solutions to the ongoing crises? Both have said they're willing to put aside party politics, but we shall see how it plays out.

The election of President-Elect Barack Obama represents to me a fresh start in a time when America's place on the world stage has been jeopardized, and our image tarnished. World leaders, such as Germany's Angela Merkel and France's Nicolas Sarkozy have announced that they are prepared to work with an Obama Administration to solve the problems facing the world. This is important to me because I hope to have the chance to travel to and make friends from many countries in the remote parts of the world, and without good relations with these countries this cannot be easily done. Obama for me is a charismatic figure, an organized man who is ready to listen to the American people. He is young, dynamic and intelligent. And plays basketball to boot.

During the next 70 days I would like to see President Bush continue to execute a graceful exit, which may limit the bitter taste most Americans have for the his administration. Current polls show that President Bush's approval rating has fallen to 24%, but I am confident that by working together with Obama the two can come up with a solution to the failing US auto industry and the rest of the battered economy. This should be the focus of President Bush in his last days in office, because even during the election last week we saw that an overwhelming majority of Americans consider the economy to be the #1 issue.

Getting to Know the British

The land of England – where the Harry Potter stories and movies are based, where C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien wrote, and the country some say is America’s strongest ally – was the location of my most recent adventure. A friend named Tanya, who attends Oxford University, was the foremost reason for going. We met two years ago as I was in Istanbul studying for the semester as an exchange student; it was a few weeks before I was to leave for the States when we met at a party and became inseparable. However, after barely speaking the whole time we were apart the past two years, a lot had changed with both of us. She spent 18 months in Iran, and I had graduated college and moved to a new country I had never been to. She told me that living in Iran changed her a lot – down to her core beliefs and the way she saw the world. I even noticed a change in the way we interacted. She was a bit more defensive at times when we were debating about certain issues, and was much surer about her convictions. I would chalk it up to us living in close quarters and therefore virtually unable to “escape” one another’s company rather than going back to our own apartments at the end of the day, as was the case in Turkey.

A sign you're in London

Buckingham Palace

However, there were sundry other reasons as well for my trip. I had the chance to experience London for two days. If you haven’t been, it’s the largest city in Europe and it certainly feels its size. The trip from the airport to the city center lasted 45 minutes, and at least 30 minutes was needed to travel within the city from one location to another. I relied heavily on the Tube to get around and was quite easily able to see the Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, the houses of parliament, and the Globe, where Shakespeare’s plays were put on. These of course are the main tourist attractions. For a more local feel, London and Oxford both have small pubs in which you can try several types of beer; the food’s pretty good too if you like fish and chips!


The best time to be in London is at night. There are few places that compare to the romantic ambiance of walking along the Thames at night with the blue and white lights from the trees shining dimly below. One of the best views I had of the city was during the airplane landing at night. We did a loop around the city which afforded me a cloudless, 360 view of London from just a few thousand feet above. It was reminiscent of Reno because of the casino-looking blur of lights. (I would say Las Vegas perhaps, but I haven’t been there. Yet!)

A favorite spot of mine

Later in the week I had the opportunity to meet several other Oxford students, many of whom were stressed (but did a good job of hiding it) because of the rigorous two-month terms to which students at Oxford subject themselves thrice each year. Some even took me around their individual colleges and showed me their libraries, gardens, and famous dining halls. (Oxford is divided into 38 different colleges, each of which has its own library, courtyards, and small plot of land in the city of Oxford upon which the college sits. “Their own four walls,” you could say, except this phrase doesn’t do justice to the “spire-inspired” architecture of the buildings and the beauty of the gardens.) It’s an important fact that students here pride themselves in their colleges, not necessarily in the school of Oxford itself.

Courtyard in one of Oxford's colleges

View of Oxford from a church tower

A highlight was surely the dinner the first night I got there. We all got dressed up and went to Formal Hall, as one of the colleges had hired a new Head Master. We arrived to a splendidly set row of tables (think Harry Potter), paintings of famous people who had attended the college, and the sound of Latin grace before the meal. The students didn’t seem too excited for this event other than the fact that it was an excuse to come together and talk, but for my part I was fascinated by this centuries-old ritual. The food was average, but the allure of the atmosphere was by itself enough excitement for me.

This may look familiar to Harry Potter fans

On the way to Formal Hall

In the future I’d like to spend more time in London to see some museums and walk along the waterfront at night. The London Eye (the giant Ferris wheel owned by British Airways) would be cool to experience too. I’d also like to visit nearby areas such as Cardiff, Wales, and of course Dawn and my plan to see Ireland.

Seeing an Old Friend in Köln

Last fall at WVU as I was sitting in my Managing Individuals and Teams class, I noticed there were two Germans sitting together in the back row. For the first few weeks of the semester I found it hard to work up the courage to say something to them because I wanted to say something in German while at the same time making a good impression. I had just begun my German 101 class and was far from confident in my ability. After about a month curiosity moved in to take over the fear and I was able to introduce myself. I'm glad I did, because I still keep in touch with both Alex and Andre today. In fact, I saw Alex just this past weekend in Köln. He's doing a 4 month internship there and in November will return to Fulda, where he'll start studying for his Master's.

View of the old town

From the ferry

My first view of Köln was through the window of the S-bahn (above-ground train) on the way to his apartment. I saw the magnificant Cologne Cathedral, the second largest in the world next to the one in Rome, which was beautifully lit up in the night. We went out for a few beers and I had my first taste of Cologne beer. I found out there are 28 different varieties, each of which are served at various bars and pubs around Cologne. I also later learned that Cologne is the fourth-largest German city (thanks to Dawn for that one:) )

The magnificent cathedral

The next day we woke up early to catch a ferry ride on the Rhine River. It was a beautiful day and for that reason I'm glad we decided to spend time outdoors that day. The cruise was certainly the most breathtaking part of the weekend - one could see for miles while out on the water. And the silhouette of the cathedral from far away cannot be described with words.

Afterwards we visited the cathedral and spent some time inside. Quite large I'd say, but not immensely impressive because I've seen a few similar structures elsewhere in Europe.
We then visited the German Museum for Sports and Olympics, where I learned about the history of sports in Germany. It seems that gymnastics, Formula One, and Boxing are much more popular here than I had ever imagined.
Later that night we went out to catch a piece of the Cologne nightlife. We started by watching the Germany vs. Russia World Cup qualifying game, which Germany won by a goal. We then made our way to the first club but found out that we either had to know the bouncers or apparantly have women with us to get in. Sounds silly, but we didn't let it bother us because there were plenty of other opportunities in the area. We got into the second place, which was playing a style of German music similar to Irish drinking songs. It was incredibly upbeat - we walked in to people jumping and waving their arms in the air. The place was packed. It was a nice change from the typical hip-hop they play in most clubs these days.

Alex himself

After a nice lunch Sunday I made my way home on the train back to Frankfurt. I hope I get to see both he and Andre in Fulda later this year.

The beer bike!

Germany Turns 18

I know what you're thinking. How can a country with so many old traditions be so young? Germany has existed in some form or another since 1871. After World War II, the country was split in two and stayed that way until November 9, 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down. About a year later, on October 3, 1990, the two sides were officially reunited to make the Germany we have today.

Inner City Scenes

A few weeks ago, as I was deciding where to travel for the wonderful 3-day weekend, it came to me that I should probably stay in Germany to take part in the celebrations. It's always nice to experience national days in other countries. I settled on Hamburg, Germany's second largest city next to Berlin. But little did I know that the official start of the weekend also took place in Hamburg - Chancellor Merkel and President Köhler were there to kick it off. To add to the chaos, police sirens and whirling helicopters filled the air with their sounds all day Friday. One of the best parts of the weekend took place in the old port section of the city, where today merchants sell Arabian carpets and Indian tea. There was a tent set up for each of the 16 German states so that one could get a look at the tourism options in each area. I headed to the tents of the states I didn't know anything about, trying to learn as much as possible. In the Bayern tent there was a band dressed in traditional lederhosen, or leather pants, playing horns and accordians, and in the Thüringia tent, bratwurst was being served. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the holiday.

What wasn't good though was the weather. The whole weekend it was 40 degrees with much rain and wind. To escape this, I spent time in a museum called "Miniatur Wunderland," which recreated several landscapes around the world, complete with model trains, highways, and buildings. Would be a paradise for kids, although I found it amusing as well. Most of the time I braved the storms and walked through the city. There's a famous area of Hamburg called St. Pauli, or the red-light district. Sex shops, strip clubs, and bars line the streets, and prostitutes dressed in pink jackets and elevated shoes offer their services to passersby. They're not shy - I was approached by two of them who, after I told them I was on vacation, were trying to get me to have "vacation sex" with them. Quite an experience to get hit on by prostitutes. My favorite part of the city, though, was the strip of green next to the town hall. I sat on a chair one afternoon reading - trying to make the most of the 30 minutes of sunshine all weekend. Hamburg feels more open than other German cities - the roads and sidewalks are wider, the town hall and the area around it are expansive, and the bay and its inlets provide natural open areas to the squares and districts.
Another interesting note - I experienced mitfahrer, or carpooling, for the first time this weekend. There are many German websites where you can either register your trip if you're driving or browse trips if you need a ride somewhere. There were probably 20 different people driving from Hamburg to Frankfurt Sunday between 17:00 and 19:00, so it's pretty easy to sign up. And the best part, other than getting to meet locals and practice German, is that it costs 4 times less than the train.

The famout St. Pauli district

These next two weeks I'm looking forward to seeing Alex and Andre, two friends I met at WVU last fall when they were on exchange. They both live nearby, so I hope to spend the next two weekends with one or both of them. I'm also looking forward to relaxing at home the next few weeks as I prepare for my 10 day trip to London/Oxford at the end of October.

The German Countryside, Finally

The village where I stayed

This past weekend the owner of the company, and also my boss' boss, invited me to accompany him and his wife at their country home. Making a long weekend out of it, we left Hessen Thursday afternoon and arrived two hours later in the neighboring state of Rhineland-Pfalz. Until this point, the only countryside I'd seen in Germany was what I could squint at from inside on cross-country train rides. On this trip, however, there was no squinting involved. As we arrived I soaked in the natural beauty which surrounded us - I could see for kilometers around us in almost every direction. We settled in and had a (traditional) German dinner of bratwurst, bread, pork and veggies. Potatoes to come later. We spent the somewhat chilly evening relaxing in front of the fireplace.

It's like, a farm

The next day we were up early to have a light breakfast and visit with some local townsfolk. Herr Winkler introduced me to several people in the surrounding villages, who reminded me of the people one meets at Big Bear (although one must be able to understand a wicked dialect of German to speak with these people.) One owned and operated an eyeglasses business, and while we were visiting he showed me how the factory worked. He actually made the glasses from scratch - frames, lenses and all! We also went to a local pub owned by an 80-year-old lady who looked as if she rose from the grave everyday to serve beer. Later that afternoon Herr Winkler said we'd be going fishing. I'm a fan because you basically sit there and do nothing for five hours. Plus it's quiet, and you can reflect on the week as you stare at the beauty which surrounds you. And getting to play with worms and get dirty brings you back to childhood like nothing else. I was told that I better catch something, because our dinner depended on it! That was the way it worked in these parts - people did everything themselves. The nearest grocery store was 30 minutes away. To my surprise, I was able to pull in three decent-sized fish, enough for the three of us for dinner. We tried unsuccessfully to catch more with food and a net. That night after gutting and baking the fish, we ate them with potatoes. (told ya!)

View from the yard

Saturday we all got to sleep in, and once we were all up and ready we drove through the countryside visiting various people, an art sale, and even a pig roast by the lake. At the roast were people fishing, preparing food, and chatting. I had a few beers, relaxed, and took a turn turning the pig. These small, interconnected Dorfs are the German equivalent to Big Bear.
Herr Winkler explained to me that there, one doesn't have to put up a "front" and try to fit in. Everyone is simple, nice, and hardworking. They accept you as you are and are above all good-hearted. As I asked him later why he chose to live in Frankfurt and not elsewhere in Germany, he explained that in Frankfurt, like in Hamburg and Köln, one lives within their means. Thus, you don't see a lot of Bentleys and fabulous displays of wealth, like one sees in München and Düsseldorf. The Lebensqualität, or quality of life, is high in Frankfurt, supported by the vast array of possibilities in parks, museums, and the river. You also have a good infrastructure in the international airport and train station, which are both central hubs in Europe, and a high concentration of banks and finance companies. I'll keep these things in mind as I ponder how life here could be better than that in Berlin.

What is a Frankfurter?

Over the past few weeks, as I've settled into life in the office and the city, I've attempted to realize what it means to be a "Frankfurter." (I think that's what they call the residents here, although it's also possible Frankfurter is another word for hot dog.) I try every day to notice what people who work jobs like mine wear, what they eat, and even what they do in their free time. So far it can be said that the majority of businessmen here wear a suit and tie everyday, drive a black Mercedes (although you do see some riding a bike), and eat at fancy restaurants. I read an article the other day about a man and his friend who ate in a famous restaurant in Munich and between the two of them paid $420. Is this the life I want to lead? Do I want to drive fancy cars and eat at expensive restaurants?

On Sundays it's rather frustrating because nothing is open. Even the bakeries, where I get the majority of my food, close very early if they're open at all. It forces me to go on one of my expeditions, where the goal is to discover something new and exciting. This past weekend I discovered a Chinese garden not far from my apartment. I wondered to myself what a place like this was doing here, and concluded that perhaps a large Chinese minority exists here. In any case, it's surrounded by a huge flower garden, and is a good place to go to reflect quietly on the previous week. There are festivals here after all, usually at least one event going on every weekend. Many Frankfurters find themselves at these, especially on Saturday evenings and during the day Sunday. They love their music, especially Jazz, and are furiously proud of their ingenuity, as evidenced in the many inventions displayed in museums.

The city of Frankfurt itself doesn't feel like a typical German city. The skyscrapers make it feel more like Manhattan, and because the majority of people out during the week are wearing suits, one feels as if he's walking around a microcosm of an office building. There aren't as many parks as I'd like, but if you have a bike it's pretty easy to find one nearby. There are many more museums than you'd expect from a city of 650,000, and the Main River (pronounced mine) is a great place to spend the day biking or relaxing.

After my realizations about life in a banking city like Frankfurt, I have gathered that there must be something more to life than these things. Happiness, for one, cannot be served on a $200 plate. Nor can it be earned by trading stocks on the market. I tend to rather enjoy my simple, traditional Sunday dinner - because I don't have an operational kitchen I go to this local pizza place owned by an Italian family every Sunday. It's cheap (about $8 for a pizza and salad), delicious, and made by good, honest people. Not that the people serving $200 plates aren't honest, but I have a problem paying that much for a dinner when there are people in this world that don't even have a slice of bread to eat.

In reality, I'm sure I still have a lot to learn about being a Frankfurter. Here, it's always cloudy, so I've found myself consistently carrying around my umbrella without second thought. I've also become accustomed to not getting carded when I buy beer, a custom practiced here because of the "loose" culture when it comes to alcohol. And when I'm hungry at a fair or other event, I usually look for the bratwurst stands. Apple wine is pretty good, too.

Oh, and according to American Heritage Dictionary:
frankfurter (n) - A smoked sausage of beef, or beef and pork, made in long reddish links

A Place in the Frankfurt Sun

This title is in a way misleading, because in Frankfurt they say they have nice weather 20 times a day. This alludes to the fact that it also rains about 20 times a day...

I realize it's been a month since I wrote last, but my first priority these last two weeks has been finding a place to live in Frankfurt. As I left Berlin on August 2, I though I'd have a lot of help finding an apartment from the company I'm working for. After some miscommunication of some sort, I didn't receive any help and was forced to turn to another source - those at CDS in New York. They promptly made a spreadsheet of housing options, and I ended up choosing one of those options. Sure, I made some attempts on my own to find housing, but it's not easy when you don't speak the language well enough and aren't familiar with the way housing works. The apartment I've found has two other people, an older lady from whom I'm renting and a younger German guy. I'm paying only €270 per month including the utilities, which is cheaper than my apartment was back home. The location is great - surrounding me are plenty of shops for food, clothes, and anything else, and my office is only a 10 minute bike ride away. My room in the apartment is large and is fully furnished, and I even have my own refridgerator. It's stressful though, because the others smoke in the house, and whenever I want to use the kitchen the place smells like smoke. The landlady also tries to be a bit like an overbearing mother at times...

As I've told a couple of others now, it's really weird having a full-job. Now that I'm not going to school and making a little money, I feel differently than I did as a college student. I now have limited time during the day to enjoy the weather or do other things I used to enjoy - instead I sit in an office and do research or translate from German to English from 9-6. The work environment is great though - other than me there are only 5 people here, so it's more like a family. The company CEO, Mr. Winkler, has been more than welcoming. On my first week he was nice enough not only to clean my laundry for me, but he also invited me to his home for lunch. He cooked a really nice meal and we had some coffee and relaxed before returning to work. He then offered to give me a personal tour of Frankfurt! That was last weekend - he took me around in the (Mercedes) convertible and showed me the Kleinmarkthalle, which is where all sorts of food are sold by the locals. He finished the afternoon by showing me the shopping district and also some old churches. And if that wasn't enough, when I wasn't able to take enough money from the ATM to pay my security deposit, he lent me €500!

As for my travels throughout the last weeks, I've been to many places and seen even more things. Among my favorites is Krakow, Poland. When you're there you get this feeling that you're in a medieval town - a place where you can actually see locals walking around. In some of these other places, like Prague, I was hard-pressed to find any locals other than the shopkeepers. But that's not to negate the beauty of these other cities. I found that when I was in Krakow, just like in Poznan, I had a good feeling about everything. The Polish people are wonderful, the food is good, and the music, dancing and singing the culture is a lot of fun. Since Poland is no longer a Russian satellite, their economy and standard of living have been steadily increasing in recent years. That, combined with the wonderfully preserved churches, castles, and monuments, makes this country a great place to visit.


I also traveled through the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Austria. Seeing these places in a span of a week and a half is pretty easy, because it's just a matter of deciding where you want to go next. For example, at the beginning of the two weeks I was staying in Prague. While in my hostel, I got on the internet and simply booked a hostel for two nights in my next chosen destination, which was Brno (the second largest city in the Czech Republic.) Because Brno is not very big, I could see everything in a day and a half, and moved on to Krakow, which was only 5 hours away by train. That ride turned out to be more than I had planned - that day there was an accident on the tracks and all trains were delayed by at least three hours. I found myself getting off the train before my destination, and being ushered onto a bus in the middle of the Czech Republic. I had no idea where I was headed, but other people looked somewhat calm, like this had happened before, so I didn't worry too much. We came to another train station, but by this time my connection had already left. What was I going to do? At the information counter I ended up meeting a girl from Slovakia who was also traveling to Krakow - and she could speak Czech! We got to talking, and decided to hitchhike once we got across the Polish border! We made signs and everything, and stood there in the rain until we got tired. We discovered that the train would be arriving in a couple hours, so we went to a local restaurant and had dinner. When we finally arrived in Krakow and I found the hostel it was late, so I went to bed.

Budapest is also a grand city - regardless of only being there a day and a half I was able to see nearly everything. My favorite parts were the indoor market, which sold everything from fruits to clothes, and the parliment building, which was on the riverfront. And of course, seeing Vienna during the summertime was something I've wanted to do since I saw it two years ago during winter. This time around I could walk around much more without being bothered by the cold. And seeing St. Paul's Church in the sunlight was well worth the trip in and of itself!

Highlights from Obama Week

What an insane couple of weeks. Ever since I returned from Poland there's been something every day. Last weekend on Friday evening, I had some friends over to the apartment for a little get-together - music, wine and food. I usually don't do too well in the party planning department, but this time for some reason it came together nicely. I think that what binds us foreigners together while in Germany is the fact that we're all in this together - we're all going through more or less the same situation. We've left behind loved ones at home for either a new beginning or an extended, one or two month vacation. Most of the friends I've met while in Germany are just here for up to three months to learn German, then return to their homelands. Only one other guy, Mattias from France, will stay here in Berlin for a few years. Lately I've been spending a lot of time with Elena, a girl from Italy. I feel that she isn't like a lot of other girls, in the fact that she doesn't spend a lot of time in front of the mirror, and doesn't try hard to impress guys. Maybe it's the fact that she has a boyfriend back home, but in any case, it's nice to spend so much time with someone you can relate to. She doesn't speak much English, so our entire friendship is based upon the ability to speak German. It's been happening more often lately, that my conversations with my circles of friends are only in German. I'm basically to the point that because I'm surrounded constantly with newspapers, tv, locals, ads, etc. in the language, I'm starting to think in it. For example, as I was in a restaurant reading the menu the other day, and as I was unconsciously thinking about what I might like to have, I said out loud, "Was bedeutet 'Ente'" to my friend Clair, and then she told me that "Ente" means duck. She then asked me if I was starting to think in German, which got me thinking about all of this.

So after our get-together at my place, they were able to talk me into going to the disko (club). We found this place called Matrix, which reminded me a lot of Fur, in DC. It had about 7 rooms with different types of music playing in each. About an hour into it most of our group went home, but a friend and I stuck around because we wanted to dance. As I was getting tired I glanced at the time and it was 4am. I'm not usually one to stay out late, but it was a lot of fun. Here, the clubs don't open until 11 and aren't packed until 12 or 1. Seems to be like that in a lot of European discos.

Sunday we traveled to Dresden, which is the capital of the German state of Sachsen. It's about 2 hours south of Berlin, and was almost completely destroyed by bombs during WWII. Some parts have survived nicely, and the rest has been beautifully restored so that now it's a charming villiage. My favorite part was the wall that had former kings painted on it, and you could walk down this outdoor corridor to see them all. The River Elbe also runs through the city, and we sat at an outdoor cafe so that we could soak it all in.

Tuesday our class took a field trip to Eisenhuttenstadt (Iron Forge City), a small villiage an 90 minutes from Berlin on the Polish border. Built in 1950 as a model comminuts city, it really doesn't have much to offer. The buildings are plain, the streets are wide and straight, and there aren't any special landmarks. The one place of interest, and our reason for going, was the DDR documentation center. This center is a sort of museum that displays what life was like under communism in the DDR some 40 to 50 years ago. It was quite depressing - there were few choices for schools, food and drink, and even what you could buy. It's hard to believe that during part of my lifetime this was going on (until 1989.) Because the DDR (the former East Germany) was part of the former Soviet Union, the residents of Eisenhuttenstadt decided they wanted more choices and a better life. So in 1989 they broke away from the Soviets, and in 1990 were reunited with the former West Germany to make what is now Bundesrepublik Deutschland.

Wednesday wasn't too interesting because I had to prepare for my presentation in class the next day. We're required as part of our lesson to give an hour-long presentation in German about a topic in German culture. I chose to research the Brothers Grimm, authors of several children's fairy tales including Cinderella and Hansel & Gretel. The Brothers lived somewhat of an interesting life - they started collecting folk poems in 1806 and it wasn't until a few years later they started writing the fairy tales. They were heavily influenced by Dorothea Wild, who was the wife of the younger brother, and her family. It was from her that the Brothers heard the tale "Little Red Riding Hood." So after gathering some important dates and choosing a section from Rapunzel to read to the class, I gave my presentation. I taught the class several new words, which were part of the tale, and afterwards some told me that they really liked the style with which I presented my information. They said I made them look bad because mine was so good. Not sure if I believe them, but it was a nice thought.

Later that day a sure highlight of my trip occured - I got to see Barack Obama speak along with over 200,000 other people. He's really quite well-received here in Europe - they see him as the "black J.F. Kennedy." They see him as a catalyst for a change that we so desparately need in the States. He spoke not as a candidate for President, he said, but as a citizen of the world. He spoke about the importance of building global relationships now more than ever, and referred to the Berlin Airlift several times throughout the speech to show how when we work together we can accomplish great things. I was somewhat disappointed though, and as I have read in the newspapers here so too are a lot of Germans, that he didn't speak about how we should do this. Sure, he spoke of the importance of eliminating the threat of nuclear weapons and ending genocide in Darfur, but where's the money going to come from to accomplish all of this? We're sort of in the middle of a war right now, and many of our otherwise-available resources are tied up in Iraq. Nevertheless, I think he has a better chance than McCain does of ending the USA's isolationist and reckless policies towards war and global domination.

And finally, yesterday after class I traveled with Elena to the concentration camp Sachsenhausen, which lies just north of Berlin. Over 10,000 Jews were murdered here during the early 1940s. Elena made a good point - that now there are some wildflowers and trees growing on the grounds - the best time to visit would be the dead of winter so that we could see what it really looked like there year-round. I learned that many Jews were murdered if they started just the slightest provocation. Workers at the camp (the average age of the workers was 21) were often given bonuses or extra time off for shooting prisoners immediately when told to do so. The barracks were also horrible - two and sometimes three people were stuffed into a bed smaller than a twin. If you got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night you risked losing your spot. There was a roll call twice a day - one at morning and one at night - and if even one person was missing everyone had to stand there until he or she was found, sometimes all night. Your best hope was to get a job working in the kitchens - this required the least amount of physical labor and you could often secretly supplement your daily ration of less than a quarter loaf of bread. I remember reading the Diary of Anne Frank in eighth grade, but I never thought I'd actually see one of these places live.

In the evening we went out to celebrate the last day of three of our friends. Today they're back in Russia, France, and Switzerland. My good friend Yulia was one of the departing, so that was the main reason I went out. We danced for a few hours and had a great time. This club, called Dorf Berlin, was pretty intense. Most female bartenders were shirtless, and there was a cool show by these three guys with alcohol bottles on fire. The music wasn't very good, but I'm glad I got to see my friends before they returned home.

Less than a week left before the big move to Frankfurt...

Polska (Poland)

So I had this bright idea a couple weeks ago that I wanted to see Poland. I had many reasons, including my current proximity and my unsatiated curiosity, and so I tried to get some friends to come with me. Some were busy, but most seemed uninterested - either because they had already been there or because they'd rather see someplace else. So the very next day I got online and did some research. Where exactly did I want to go? What did I want to do? I settled on a town called Poznan (around 600,000 people) about three hours by train from Berlin. It was the closest big city and I needed to see Poland.

I arrived Friday afternoon and with a bit of wondering around I found my hostel. The Frolic Goats Hostel, it was called - don't ask me why. Everyone there was welcoming - the staff and even other guests. Someone even offered to help set up my bed. So I set off on my first adventure - I had so much to see with only three days to do it. Without really knowing where to go, I decided to walk aimlessly through the streets and check out the local architecture and see what the people were like. After about 30 minutes I came to a monument to this guy named Adam, who has a university there named after him. Directly behind the campus there was a park with a huge fountain in the middle and flowers all around - a place I just had to examine closer. I think it's great how cities can grow so quickly but still preserve greenspace in certain places. I lay on the grass for a bit watching the kids run around and the clouds rolling in.


After dinner it was getting a bit late, so I decided to return to the hostel to see what was going on. As I walk into the room, much to my surprise were 5 Polish people pouring vodka into glasses! (I stayed in a room with about 15 beds - all of them bunked. We had a full house that night, so I had a chance to meet all kinds of different people.) One offered me a glass immediately and said, "Welcome to Poland!" I knew immediately that I was in for a great night.

After a few shots they were all hungry, and I in all of my tipsy-ness tell them that I know of a good place. Actually, I had just arrived myself 6 hours prior, but when you drink your confidence seems to escalate a bit. As I was guiding them I tried my best to focus on where I had seen a Turkish restaurant, and when we got there one of them ordered something for me and wouldn't let me pay. I guess he really wanted me to feel the "welcome" part of "Welcome to Poland!" Afterwards we returned to the hostel and did more shots. I probably shouldn't have drank that much, because in the morning I woke up with a nasty hangover. I had a great night though, thanks to the hospitality and company of my new friends.


The next day I talked to an Austrian girl I had met the day before, and because she was a bit sick she didn't want to do too much walking around. I ended up running into her later that evening as I was sitting in the town square enjoying the pleasant atmosphere. We sat for a while and talked, then got some ice cream. Later that night we had a really good conversation, part English and part German, about our respective lives. She told me about her hometown in Austria and her travels through Poland, and I told her about my family and friends. The next day as she was leaving, she cried as she gave me a hug goodbye. It made me sad that she was leaving, because I feel that we made an important connection as friends. She's a real person and isn't afraid to show it, and I hope we can meet again someday.


Do I want to return someday to Poland? Of course! I'd love to see Krakow and Warsaw, and even to go back to Poznan. The architecture and the atmosphere are stunning, and it really is a nice place to visit during the summer. Transportation and lodging are relatively inexpensive, so it's possible on a student's budget to have a good time. Next time I want to travel with friends so that I can have others with which to share the adventure.

So this upcoming weekend I'll travel to Dresden, a city in Germany about 1.5 hours south of Berlin, with some friends to do some sightseeing.

The Homeless

Berlin's homeless do some interesting things to make a Euro. I wouldn't normally care to write about something such as this - except that the homeless in this case have gotten quite creative.

Naturally, you have those who care to do nothing but sit there and smoke cigarettes while holding out their cups. Included in this group are the occasional punks you see at busy street corners, and some that sit there staring at the sidewalk with a cup sitting in front of them. Come on people, at least do something to entertain me. Then there are the ones with a little creativity - those willing to take on a bit more risk. At busy intersections you often see these people walking up to cars stopped at red lights, propositioning to allow them to clean the drivers' windshields with a little squeegee. Did I just use the word squeegee? The swiftness with which these workers move amazes me. Within 20 seconds they have the window looking like new. They continue with other customers until the light changes green, then start all over again.

There are also those who opt to sell newspapers on the trains going around the city. I've been told that those who choose this option must give a cut of the profit back to the publisher (they charge €1.20 and give €.20 back.) To perform their task, they must board the train and do their spiel (German for "to play") about why they're selling the papers. Not a bad method.

In some areas you see older women with children who walk up to you, sometimes with a sign and sometimes without. They ask," Do you speak English?" then hold up a sign with an explanation as to why then need money. I believe that that phrase is the only English they really know. And I think the kid acts as a prop so that we'll be more likely to give.

And finally, today as I was riding home I came across one of the strangest things I've seen: when cars stopped for a red light two people, a man and a woman, came out in front and put on a little juggling show! It must have lasted 30 seconds, and afterwards they received tips from some generous drivers. How interesting. What is even more interesting though is how the homeless are dealt with here. The government actually provides them with a place to stay in a low-cost apartment, so in essence they are not actually "homeless." Many are out of work because of lay-offs or being fired, and some have fallen on hard times, whatever that means.

I can conclude that here, in contrast to the States, many people seek to entertain passersby to earn some money. If only they would use their talents to find a more stable job...

End of First Month

Today marked the end of my first German class, on which I'm proud to say I did better than expected. Our exam, which included listening, reading comprehension, writing and speaking sections, was yesterday. The exam started with the two most difficult sections: reading and listening. After these sections, my head was spinning and I was wondering to myself whether or not I'd have to repeat this class next month instead of moving on. The second and third sections proved to be more my style - the speaking and writing parts. Because I could express myself I believe I did better here. For the writing section, we wrote a letter in return to a "friend" who had written to us, at least a page. We had to incorporate certain themes into our response; using these themes as a guide I let my imagination wonder. For the speaking part, we had a 20 minute interaction with a partner about getting to know each other, planning a party, and explaining a graph. We were then graded on our word usage and grammar. I think that German grammar is much easier than English, or maybe we're just slow learners - I remember learning English grammar over a period of about 20 years back in school, where I've only been learning German for a year now. I suppose that's the pace Americans choose to educate their children. Actually, every day I'm realizing how much better life is over here. America is very much one-dimensional and boring, whereas life here is exciting. People travel, know what's going on in the world, and are generally well-rounded and intelligent, albeit opinionated.

A strange thing happened to me yesterday as I took my daily stroll past the playground of the kindergarten that's near our school. For some reason I stopped to watch the kids play, and to my horror a little girl about 5 years old started taking off her clothes! Underwear and all. I figured a teacher would run over and tell her to put it back on (clearly what would happen in America.) Boy, was I mistaken. A second later her little friend came over, sat down, and proceeded to take her clothes off as well! The little girls then ran through the schoolyard bearing it all. One by one the little boys and girls took off all their clothes, and were running through the yard. There must have been thirty of them, all naked and running with joy. The teachers sat around like this was nothing out of the ordinary. I later learned from my German teacher that this is quite normal here during summertime. All the while I was thinking to myself - if this happened back home there would be lawsuits flying left and right. We Americans are frivolous; jumping at the first opportunity to defend our "rights" as humans and to exploit our legal system for an extra buck. What we don't realize, though, is that we are all living in a system of terror, where people are afraid to do anything because they may be slapped with a lawsuit. Furthermore, if kids learn this sort of comfort early on to be naked around one another, maybe it's not such a big deal later on. It's the same with a lower drinking age, and really I could go on and on. The point is, people say, "America is the land of freedom." Maybe I'd think twice before saying that again.

The Upside of Getting Lost

Before I explain the title, I just want to say how great it's been being here in Europe for the UEFA football tournament. For some time there were two games every night, and now that it's down to the final on Sunday (Germany vs Spain) it's gotten a bit insane. For Germany's last game, there was a huge display of the game in the middle of the city. People came from all over to fill the streets and share their passion for Germany's most popular sport. These people are very proud of their country - they had flags and jerseys and sang songs the entire game. There was also a good representation of the Turkish population here - I spotted several Turkish flags throughout the night. As we were waiting for the game to start we met these German teenagers. It was the first time I've just met someone on the street and started speaking German - I felt like I was at home. And as for the game - I knew that no matter who won I'd be happy because I've spent time in both countries and have loved each.

After the game I wanted to meet up with Teresa, a girl friend of mine. We finally found each other through all the crazy celebratory fans. Since she's studying sociology she's interested in the roles of men and women, and wanted to know about the differences between men and women in our countries. I explained to her that in the States, men are terrified of independent women like her, because we can't stand the thought that women don't depend on us and won't be there to wait on us all the time. She seemed to appreciate my honesty, because she said that most men would not admit a thing like this. She also held the stereotype that Americans need to get drunk to have fun, which I quickly dispelled. I explained that yes, getting drunk is sometimes fun, but I can have fun without drinking! So here I am, tearing down these steretypes one at a time...

We also made this bet that if Turkey won she'd cook me dinner and if Germany won I had to cook, so looks like I'm making a trip to the spice store to get stuff for Indian food next week! Not sure how it will turn out, but I'm always up for going out on a limb and making new dishes.

When we were done talking it had reached 2am and I was tired. I rode my bike to the road I normally take home, and it was blocked because of the game!! I started to panic - would I be able to get home tonight? I decided to take a road parallel to that one and started through a forest. After twenty minutes of riding I started seeing buildings again and, realizing I was lost, decided to muster up the courage to ask for directions home. I asked the guy at the hotel counter how best to go home (in German), and twenty minutes later I found myself at my front door.

I've found that in the situations where dramatic measures are needed we tend to grow a little in both our confidence and in our courage to try new things. When we are not challenged, we cannot grow. When life gives us a situation we've never experienced, we're in a position to use what we've learned and apply it to new situations. I can think of another example where this has helped me: learning German. Since I'm an American, I only know one language (until now!!!!!!) As I sit through class every day, I recall what I've learned in 7th grade English class - the different cases, parts of sentences, and parts of speech. Applied to the German language, I can visualize how sentences need to be structured. I have a tendency to construct my sentences just as I would in English - subject, verb, indirect object, direct object. However, in German it's a bit different depending on what you're trying to say. Learning this language has challenged me more than any class ever has at WVU or anywhere else (except maybe AP Calc in high school.) Take that, retarted American school system!!!!!!

Reunion

Today I was reunited with something I used to treasure back in the States - a bike. Every nice day we had my senior year at WVU I'd ride to class, passing by the pedestrians and shopkeepers with a breeze. In Morgantown though, I had no company to speak of while on my bike. College students, at least the ones in WV, have long forgotten about their bikes by the time they come to college.

Berlin, on the other hand, is a city of bikes. Elaborately designed are the bike lanes, one on each side of every road here, so that bikers will know they're welcomed in the big city. There are many rules which I have yet to learn while on a bike, but the basics are pretty easy. Stop at red lights. Lock up your bike when you're not riding. Always ride on the right side. Use lights at night. Most importantly, I look to others if unsure of what to do.

As I was riding to the bank today, the feeling of being free came back to me right away. I used to get that same feeling when I'd ride - a feeling of invincibility, that nobody could stop me. The wind flowing through my hair and the open road ahead - these are the things I miss. Except now I have it all back - in a new city with new sights. As I pass multi-level apartment buildings with shops at the bottom, over bridges with water beneath, and by a palace that's hundreds of years old, I realize that I'm living my dream. These are the things you can't find back home.

On a side note, I've been cooking at least once every day here at the apartment. Every few days I trudge to the market for veggies and meat, and when combined with pasta and cheese it makes a complete meal. For breakfast Anna (my host mother) makes toast and eggs and gives me plenty of fruit and cheeses. She even wakes me up at 7:30 - good thing since I don't have an alarm clock!! I really could not imagine eating healthier than this, not even in the states.

First Week of Language School

Today marked the end of the first week of my first four-week language course here in Berlin. On Monday it kicked off with a bang, when I met two other foreigners, one from Guatemala, the other from Italy. During our break I figured we'd speak English to make conversing more convenient - but no - I was grossly mistaken. Neither of them knew English! We proceeded to a cafe and spoke only German. I am not accustomed to being in an environment where not everyone speaks at least a little English - even in Turkey I could speak with everyone with whom I went to school. Most people here including shopkeepers, though, speak at least a little English. I prefer speaking Deutsch with them to practice.

The language course is more more difficult here than the two I took at WVU. It's about 4 hours a day of nothing but Deutsch - even grammer is taught in Deutsch. I find that I'm somewhat behind the others - they've had a bit more experience learning the language. Therefore, I try in my free time to learn new words.

The football games here have been fantastic - both the quality of the games and the atmosphere in which I watch them. For all games, especially when Deutschland plays, the local pubs and biergartens display huge screens and people come from all walks of life to watch together. As I witnessed the other day when Deutschland lost to Croatia, when the opponent scores there's a collective *sigh* and as the home team scores or otherwise makes a good play there's a resounding cheer. I went along with my new friends to watch (one Frenchman and two Russin gals.) It's really cool to be return to an environment where I can consistently learn about other countries firsthand.

On a side note, the beer served here is top-quality - it surely puts its American counterpart to shame. I love how I can go almost anywhere and drink amazing beer. Did I mention that there are no open container laws here? Yes, that means you may drink beer on the trains, in the streets, or anywhere you see fit. I guess it's the culture.

To sum up my first week of language school: it's difficult, but being immersed helps a lot. So does my new Deutsch-English dictionary ;)

The Winebar & Other Dissimilarities

Last night Kelsey (the other girl that lives here until this weekend) took me to meet some of her friends at a local wine bar. Since none of them have cellphones, she explained their method of meeting at the train stations. They will wait up to ten minutes for everyone to come, then they just leave, and those who are late are shit out of luck. She really stressed being on time - in fact I was in the kitchen making dinner when she asked me, "Do you know how long that's going to take?" I told her I'd make it quick.

Once we arrived, the 10 of us went inside and each rented a wine glass for one Euro and sampled our first glass. This isn't your typical bar - it works on the "honor system," meaning that they trust you to pay up. If you're like me (straight up American), then you have a hard time explaining how places like this exist. Americans are act-now-trust-later types - ones who want money up front. Two glasses and a few good conversations later it was time to leave.

After having been here only 3 days, I've noticed some other dissimilarities between America and Germany. People here are extremely efficient. They go out of their way to take used bottles back to the grocery store (each earns about 30 cents), drive cars that could fit 4 times in the volume of a Hummer, and enjoy physical activity. On my daily morning runs, I frequently pass several hundred other runners/bikers/walkers/people not sitting on the couch. Also, everyone speaks at least 2 languages. I've begun to realize that the lifestyle here is much more akin to mine than what I'm used to back home. If only I could bring my friends and family here...

On a lighter note, I practiced more German today, both listening and speaking. Opening a bank account required both German and English, as did finding an international SIM card for my cellphone. Obtaining an U-Bahn card for the month required going through the on-screen options in German, and activating my SIM card called for reading directions not available in English. Thank goodness people here are willing to help!!

Contact Info

In case any of you out there (no crazies) wish to contact me this summer, here's the info:

Address:

Ryan D'Souza
c/o Anna Wendler
Sophie-Charlotten-Str. 99
14059 Berlin

Phone: 304.906.4166

Don't worry about how the phone number works, just dial it like a normal number.

Email: rdsouza2@gmail.com

Arrival in Berlin

After 24 hours of traveling I've arrived in Germany's capital. Some crazy events have transpired over the last day:

• I ran into a friend at the airport in NYC. As I was sitting there attempting to steal internet, I heard a "heyyyy!" and thought it was just a bum. Then "Let's go Mountaineers," and i knew I had to look up. It was my Turkish friend Cengiz, who was on his way back to Istanbul! What are the chances of running into him, or anyone else I know, at that exact time and place in Terminal 4?? We had a great conversation about his time in American and all the trips he took. He told me of the things he appreciated from America and those which he didn't. He told me never to go to Miami, and that LA isn't what it's hyped up to be.
• I lost several items along the way at security checkpoints. First, I had to pay $80 to Delta because my bag was 20 pounds overweight. Why would an airline limit each bag to 50 pounds? And to top it off, I'd have to pick up my bags in NY and recheck them. I'll never fly Delta again unless there are no alternatives. First, I lost my shampoo and shaving cream because they were over the limit. I then lost the toothpaste. It seems that the rules for that stuff are so arbitrary. I learned, though, that those things are just possessions. They can always be replaced - I shouldn't ever let a lost possession upset me.
• Upon arrival in Berlin, I had my first conversation in German as I searched for a bus ticket. I asked the man in the window how much it would cost to get to my stop, and he responded and told me that it would be 2,10 Euro. (they use commas for periods and periods for commas) After missing my stop on the bus and taking it to the end of the route, the drive told me I'd have to get out. Great. Lost in Berlin with 200 pounds of baggage. After wondering around for a bit, I asked which train I should take. It took me a little closer, but I finally gave up and hailed a taxi. The taxis over here are all Mercedes!! He dropped me off at the front door.

All I wanted to do was sleep, but I was glad to finally meet my host mother, Anna. She showed me around and had some breakfast waiting. I was glad to be in a home after flying for so long. After sleeping for 7 hours (it's a staple for me that I must sleep with no alarm after a trans-atlantic flight), the other girl living here showed me around the neighborhood. She showed me the nearest train station and all the shops. Then we walked to the palace of Sophie Charlotte, the first Queen of Prussia (Kelsey told me this.) There were some nice gardens - I think I'll go running here, or even just relax and read a book.