Last week I had the incredible opportunity to go to England with a group of teenagers and two teachers from the school I am working with-- the whole process of adding me to this trip went like this:
(my mentor)-"Ulrike, do you have any plans for project week? We need to find something for Emily to do."
(Ulrike)- "Oh no, I'll be in England for the school trip. Want to join me, Emily?"
(me, completely freaking out but trying to act like I get offered free trips to the UK all the time) "Sure!"
And that's how I got to go on an all expenses paid school trip to England!
The morning of my trip was a bit... overwhelming. I had to be at the school at 5:45AM to help load up the bus of students so that we could hit the road at 6AM. The only problem was that I am now living in the city next to Rotenburg (Kassel) so I have to commute and the only train that early in the morning arrives in Rotenburg at 5:48AM and then it's a 20 minute walk to the school... uhhh.... I told this to Ulrike (the teacher who organized the trip) and she assured me it wouldn't be a problem. (sigh of relief)
So I wake up at 3:45AM Monday morning to shower, finish packing and walk to the train station to catch what I thought was the 5:07AM train to Rotenburg. I ended up leaving my apartment 10 minutes later than I wanted to but knew that I would still have a few minutes in order to buy some breakfast/snacks for the long day. And then I realized that I had dropped my scarf and it was at the other end of the block... ugggghhh... I ran to the end of the block, grabbed my scarf and picked up my pace. At this point I still had 15 minutes to get to the strain station- I can do this. Then there was a creepy hobo having a yelling match... with himself. So I decided to walk on the other side of the street which delayed me a few minutes - okay so now I wouldn't have 5 minutes to peruse the bakery for some treats but maybe 2. As I'm walking through the train station doors I look down at my watch and see that it is exactly 5:05AM -- do I risk it and run to the bakery right next to my track or do I go straight to the train? I check the train times one more time and see that my train doesn't leave at 5:07AM but at 5:06AM! AHHHHHH! I break out in a dead sprint to my platform, push the button to the train doors, hop on, and no sooner do the doors close than the train starts moving. Whew. It's safe to say that if I would've missed that train, I would've spent the week in Kassel. There were no other trains, a taxi would've been outrageously expensive and I would've had no way of contacting the teacher to let her know I would be late (she doesn't own a cellphone).
By the time the train arrives in Rotenburg, my heart rate is finally beating at a normal pace, I'm no longer panting and feel a bit more relaxed. As soon as I walk off the train I notice this guy staring at me- I try to ignore his gaze but he starts walking up to me and says in a thick German accent, "Hello. I'm waiting for you." Ummmm.... what? He then explains that Ulrike sent him to pick me up so that I wouldn't be late. Yay! When we get to the school I notice that there are TONS of students... and not so many teachers. In fact, there were 44 students (45 signed up but one got sick last minute) to Ulrike, the man who picked me up at the train station and myself. No chaperones. Oh dear, this was going to be an interesting week.
We leave promptly at 6AM and make our way through northern Germany, Belgium, and France. We finally arrive at our ferry in Calais, France about 10 hours later, settle in on the ferry and enjoy the beautiful weather. It was the smoothest ferry ride! The sea was like glass. It took about an hour and a half to make it to the Dover Port in England. It's incredible to think that people swim that distance!
The place we were staying was like a Chuckie Cheese's on steroids. Very kitschy, but the kids LOVED it! The staff was so friendly and I ended up getting my very own apartment for the week- YES.
Our first full day in England was spent in Battle, England. We visited the old battlefield and Abbey- so much history! The town of Battle was so charming, too! After touring the grounds, the teachers and I found an adorable cafe and indulged in some tea and crumpets- YUM. Wednesday was spent in London. WOW. I am already planning my trip back. It felt so much like the States which was comforting to me-- it really made me realize how foreign Germany is. Everyone there was dressed so nicely and had such great accents, too! It was also nice to experience friendliness and conversations with random strangers again-- Germans aren't unfriendly per se, but they are very reserved and independent. Walking through Covent Garden, seeing Big Ben and going to the Globe Theatre was definitely a dream come true. It was also the perfect London day: chilly and cloudy.
Thursday was spent in Dover, England. The day was spent exploring the town and in the afternoon we separated into three groups to tour the castle on top of the hill. Incredible! The English Heritage Society has worked hard to restore the castle to its former brilliance, decoration and all! I was very impressed.
Thursday night we settled in for the loooong drive back to Germany. All was well until we got to the ferry-- the weather was so terrible that we ended up coasting around the channel for THREE hours. I am so thankful I remembered my seasickness pills. Many of our poor students didn't fare as well. We were all happy when we were finally on solid ground again.
I think the most surprising part of the trip for me was the relationship between the teachers and the students. The students were given so much free/unsupervised time. For example, when we were in London, they were given FOUR hours of completely free time and were just told to meet back at the bus at 7PM. Umm, seriously? 44 German teenagers (ages 14-15) in a foreign country? Not to mention none of them had the phone number of the one teacher who actually owned a cell phone. I asked Ulrike if she was worried about them and she said "Let's just say it's part of their project for the week-- to make it back to the bus on time!" Well, I guess that's one way to think of it. I felt kind of like the dad from Finding Nemo when he finds out the teacher is taking his kid to the drop-off. I guess you gotta let them grow up sooner or later? Definitely a cultural difference there I think.
Regardless, it was a fantastic albeit exhausting week! Now I have fall break from school but University classes start this week... eeeeh! And the adventure continues...
Montag, 14. Oktober 2013
Samstag, 12. Oktober 2013
September Recap
So not having a regular internet connection is really cramping my blog style. My apologies! In order to bring you all up to speed on what has been happening during my last few weeks in Germany I'm going to list the highlights -- otherwise this would be a novella. Not kidding.
FREISING VOLKSFEST!
Another awesome weekend of Bavarian songs, beer, food, family and friends! I ended up meeting up with a friend I studied in Freiburg with along with her boyfriend and uncle who lives right by my German relatives (small world). The worst part of the weekend was lugging the rest of my luggage (50lb+ suitcase plus huge duffel bag) back to Rotenburg. I found tons of tiny bruises that looked like spider veins on my shoulders and neck the next day. Needless to say, I wore a huge scarf to school all week. I know how the mind of a student works and I had a feeling they wouldn't buy the "I had to carry heavy luggage home" story. Moral of the story: taxis were invented for a reason.
OKTOBERFEST
INSANE. This was one of the craziest weekends of my German adventure so far. I met up with two of my friends who I studied abroad with (the one from the Freising Volksfest and the other one who is also an English teaching assistant) on Friday to do touristy things in Munich. We ended up eating at the Hofbräuhaus and sat at the same table as some Swiss guys who were celebrating their friend's 40th birthday. One of them ended up falling asleep at the table... while sitting up... with his chin resting on his hand as if he were just in deep contemplative thought. Hilarious!
After we ate, we helped my friend pick out an adorable dirndl for the Oktoberfest festivities and then headed back to Attenkirchen where my cousin was putting us up for the weekend. One of my friend's sorority sister's also came into town for the weekend. The next day was the opening day for the Oktoberfest and complete madness. After watching the parade my three girlfriends and I surprisingly made it into the Paulaner tent and settled in for hours of beer drinking, singing and partying! Around about 4pm you could not move in the tent. SO MANY PEOPLE. I ended up meeting someone from Indiana and every time I saw him in the tent he would fist pound me and yell "HOOSIERS!" hahaha gotta love Hoosier pride.
Around 5pm we left the overcrowded tent to find my friend's cousin who was in town for the weekend too! Luckily we found a table at the other Paulaner beer garden right away. I ended up meeting a super nice couple from Indiana there as well! Only at Oktoberfest will you make these unbelievable connections.
We left Oktoberfest relatively early -- drinking + cultures from all over the world = recipe for (sometimes) disaster. Lots of fighting. A fight broke out RIGHT where my friends and I were sitting literally 30 seconds after we stood up. Once again: craziness. We were happy to get back to peaceful Attenkirchen.
The next morning my cousin made us the traditional Bavarian breakfast: weißwurst and pretzels and weißbier. YUM.
Great weekend!
THE BIG MOVE
The rumors are true: I moved to Kassel! It's about a 40 minute commute to Rotenburg but it's the closest university city and has a lot more going on than good ole' R-Burg. I'm staying in a Studentenwohnheim which is basically a dorm. My floormates come from all over the world: Italy, Hungary, Spain, Brazil etc. So far so good! Classes start on Monday so now I just have to figure out what I am going to take. Ahh college life, I have missed you.
HAMBURG
A few weeks ago I spent the weekend visiting some German friends I made in NYC two years ago. Hamburg was beautiful but COLD. I definitely did not pack well. I want to go back when it gets warmer. It was so great catching up with all of my friends though! I feel so blessed to have kept in contact with them over the past years. Definitely friendships that will last for life!
FREIBURG
Ahhhh home sweet Freiburg. I spent last weekend there with my 3 friends who I studied abroad with who are also Fulbrighters. Being there was like putting on your favorite old sweater: so comfortable and cozy. That city will always have a special place in my heart. The funniest part of the weekend was our living situation: my friend found us a super cheap apartment to stay in for the weekend right in the middle of the city. We all were stoked about saving some money and being right by everything, what we didn't expect was for the guy who was renting us his apartment to be so.... interesting. His name was Phillip and he was definitely a character. He was maybe in his 50s or 60s and LOVED calling us all by our first names. I think sometimes he just did it to hear himself speak. The weirdest part of the weekend was when we were eating breakfast and he asked my friend and I to cut and then butter/put jelly on his bread... umm... okay? I mean, granted he did have one hand that was crippled but it was still a bit odd. He also asked me to tell him a bedtime story on our last night there... Needless to say, we did not spend a lot of time in the apartment.
Regardless of his quirks, it was an incredible weekend catching up with my friends in one of my favorite cities! It was so comforting to hear that they are encountering the same challenges I am in the classroom as well as in terms of just adjusting to German life. Having them as a support system has meant the world to me.
Alright I think that's enough for now... Enjoy! Stay tuned for my blog on my trip to England with 44 German teenagers and only 2 German teachers. Eeeeh!
Cheerio, mate!
FREISING VOLKSFEST!
Another awesome weekend of Bavarian songs, beer, food, family and friends! I ended up meeting up with a friend I studied in Freiburg with along with her boyfriend and uncle who lives right by my German relatives (small world). The worst part of the weekend was lugging the rest of my luggage (50lb+ suitcase plus huge duffel bag) back to Rotenburg. I found tons of tiny bruises that looked like spider veins on my shoulders and neck the next day. Needless to say, I wore a huge scarf to school all week. I know how the mind of a student works and I had a feeling they wouldn't buy the "I had to carry heavy luggage home" story. Moral of the story: taxis were invented for a reason.
OKTOBERFEST
INSANE. This was one of the craziest weekends of my German adventure so far. I met up with two of my friends who I studied abroad with (the one from the Freising Volksfest and the other one who is also an English teaching assistant) on Friday to do touristy things in Munich. We ended up eating at the Hofbräuhaus and sat at the same table as some Swiss guys who were celebrating their friend's 40th birthday. One of them ended up falling asleep at the table... while sitting up... with his chin resting on his hand as if he were just in deep contemplative thought. Hilarious!
After we ate, we helped my friend pick out an adorable dirndl for the Oktoberfest festivities and then headed back to Attenkirchen where my cousin was putting us up for the weekend. One of my friend's sorority sister's also came into town for the weekend. The next day was the opening day for the Oktoberfest and complete madness. After watching the parade my three girlfriends and I surprisingly made it into the Paulaner tent and settled in for hours of beer drinking, singing and partying! Around about 4pm you could not move in the tent. SO MANY PEOPLE. I ended up meeting someone from Indiana and every time I saw him in the tent he would fist pound me and yell "HOOSIERS!" hahaha gotta love Hoosier pride.
Around 5pm we left the overcrowded tent to find my friend's cousin who was in town for the weekend too! Luckily we found a table at the other Paulaner beer garden right away. I ended up meeting a super nice couple from Indiana there as well! Only at Oktoberfest will you make these unbelievable connections.
We left Oktoberfest relatively early -- drinking + cultures from all over the world = recipe for (sometimes) disaster. Lots of fighting. A fight broke out RIGHT where my friends and I were sitting literally 30 seconds after we stood up. Once again: craziness. We were happy to get back to peaceful Attenkirchen.
The next morning my cousin made us the traditional Bavarian breakfast: weißwurst and pretzels and weißbier. YUM.
Great weekend!
THE BIG MOVE
The rumors are true: I moved to Kassel! It's about a 40 minute commute to Rotenburg but it's the closest university city and has a lot more going on than good ole' R-Burg. I'm staying in a Studentenwohnheim which is basically a dorm. My floormates come from all over the world: Italy, Hungary, Spain, Brazil etc. So far so good! Classes start on Monday so now I just have to figure out what I am going to take. Ahh college life, I have missed you.
HAMBURG
A few weeks ago I spent the weekend visiting some German friends I made in NYC two years ago. Hamburg was beautiful but COLD. I definitely did not pack well. I want to go back when it gets warmer. It was so great catching up with all of my friends though! I feel so blessed to have kept in contact with them over the past years. Definitely friendships that will last for life!
FREIBURG
Ahhhh home sweet Freiburg. I spent last weekend there with my 3 friends who I studied abroad with who are also Fulbrighters. Being there was like putting on your favorite old sweater: so comfortable and cozy. That city will always have a special place in my heart. The funniest part of the weekend was our living situation: my friend found us a super cheap apartment to stay in for the weekend right in the middle of the city. We all were stoked about saving some money and being right by everything, what we didn't expect was for the guy who was renting us his apartment to be so.... interesting. His name was Phillip and he was definitely a character. He was maybe in his 50s or 60s and LOVED calling us all by our first names. I think sometimes he just did it to hear himself speak. The weirdest part of the weekend was when we were eating breakfast and he asked my friend and I to cut and then butter/put jelly on his bread... umm... okay? I mean, granted he did have one hand that was crippled but it was still a bit odd. He also asked me to tell him a bedtime story on our last night there... Needless to say, we did not spend a lot of time in the apartment.
Regardless of his quirks, it was an incredible weekend catching up with my friends in one of my favorite cities! It was so comforting to hear that they are encountering the same challenges I am in the classroom as well as in terms of just adjusting to German life. Having them as a support system has meant the world to me.
Alright I think that's enough for now... Enjoy! Stay tuned for my blog on my trip to England with 44 German teenagers and only 2 German teachers. Eeeeh!
Cheerio, mate!
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