Bluegrass Meets Berlin

Well, this is it

2009-09-04T17:18:00.002-05:00

Ladies and gentlemen,

I never thought this day would come. Today is the final day of Bluegrass in Berlin. It has been an incredible ride.

I wanted to take this last post to thank you all for following along with me. I would not have had the same experience without you. I had a great time sharing my experiences with you. Let's rewind and remember some of those times:

-- I left for Berlin!

-- My first day of class

-- Seeing the Jehovah's Witness convention

--Who can forget when I stumbled across the cemetery near my house?

-- Meeting Nikolas for the first time

-- That visit from the frog!

-- Meeting Pascal and Otto

-- The beer festival!

-- Completing my test

-- Visiting Sachsenhausen

-- Starting a "ROBIN VAN PERSIE" chant at the Arsenal match

-- The newspaper lady

-- Coming home.

Nothing would have been the same without you all. I thank you all for being there to give me an audience. It has helped me think about my time, reflect, and really make a lot of sense of the things that I've done. All of you who posted comments and even those who didn't, thank you. I know I had some faithful readers, and none of this would have been possible without you. So thank you so much.

I can say that I'll have one more big photo post on the photo blog. I'm going to try to do that tomorrow.

Well, this is it. All good things must come to an end. If you liked what you saw, then my job was done. I'm glad. Additionally if you want to see more, convince other organizations like the DAAD to give me more money to go to more places so that I can blog again. Be sure that if I head out of the country another time, Bluegrass in Berlin will be resurrected.

Thank you, and goodnight. I love you all.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

Tschüss -- goodbye

Thursday

2009-09-03T18:15:00.002-05:00

Let's rewind one wee. This time last week, I'd have about 3 more hours to sleep before I'd get up, shower, and grab my bags on the way to Tegel Airport to come home.

I'd say I'm back into the swing of things, now. I've been going to class, reading, meeting with professors, planning, and all those things you do as a graduate student. I have to say that overall, I'm still pretty much the same ol' Will.

Have I changed at all? Sure. I think I'dve done myself a disservice had I not. I learned lots of German. I sat down and talked with people from all across the world. I make conscious efforts to conserve energy (and am seriously considering contacting the City of Tuscaloosa to see if I can get some recycling bins). I think the contact I had with Berlin and with Europe was substantial, enough to make a considerable impression on me. Now that I'm back, I can look at myself and really see how much of an impact Berlin had on me aside from improving my German.

Being back for only a week, it is difficult to make big, sweeping analyses of myself. I think those will come with time. I can say, though, that I've had the "perspective widening" experience. After being to places like India and Vietnam, I didn't think something like that was possible anymore. But what is unique about Germany is that it is so much like America. It is so similar, yet it is so different at the same time. Politics in Berlin are different, culture (to some extent) is different, religion is different, and of course history is different.

What kind of impact will these differences have on me over the next few months? How can one know these things? I like to think that it can help me professionally and personally. I can say that I have a better sense of the German people. I've seen where they live, work, and play. I've seen how they remember what I study. I've seen the places that I study. I don't think I could have ever asked to experience so much in two months, and because of that, I have enriched the basis from which I can work. I've acquired a perspective that will help me think about my topics more appropriately and more completely.

Personally, it is a little more difficult to say. I can't say that I'm now a raging socialist or have picked up some new, bizarre European political views, but I'm more aware. I've learned how to interact (and deal) with all different types of people from all over the world in all different types of circumstances. I don't think I would have gotten the same experience anywhere else. I think studying in Berlin gave me a great opportunity to not only learn about German and Germany but also learn about people. I think that's just as valuable as the academic achievements I accomplished.

One more day, ladies and gentlemen.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

die Verwandlung -- metamorphosis

Wednesday

2009-09-02T17:50:00.002-05:00

Our time is becoming ever shorter. It is sad, I know. But let's be thankful for what we've got left.

Now, Berlin was certainly wonderful. Nothing, though, is perfect. I bring to you the list of things that I will NOT miss about Berlin:

1. The dogs-- Let me preface this by saying that the dogs in Berlin are the best behaved dogs I have ever seen in my entire life. I hardly heard any barking, and owners used leashes seldom. The dogs would obediently follow their owners, sit, stay, lay, and do all things that well behaved dogs do. That being said, it became evident that Germans don't think it's a particularly good idea to clean up after their dogs. It was not uncommon to see piles of dog business along the sidewalks EVERYWHERE. Let's get with it, Germany. I intentionally didn't blog about this while in Germany because I didn't want to jinx myself, but now I can safely say this: I never stepped in any gross dog mess. Woo!

2. Kentucky-- Before you blog readers get up in arms about this, I was not embarrassed at all to be from Kentucky while I was in Germany. What I won't miss is the reaction I got whenever I said I was from Kentucky. Almost without fail, I'd hear, "Ahh! Kentucky Fried Chicken!" Ugh. Of course. Kentucky Fried Chicken. Wonderful. I don't even blame the Germans for this. Other students at the Goethe Institut were guilty of this, too. ATTN: World. More things come from Kentucky than just chicken. Let me say this though, we could be known for worse things. Everyone thinks Kentucky Fried Chicken is delicious. That's an undeniable fact. So you're welcome, world.

3. Math-- I didn't have to do a whole lot of math. The most difficult type of math I attempted required me to subtract either 7 hours or 6 hours from Berlin time. That wasn't bad. What was frustrating was the math that I didn't even attempt: metric conversions! Bah! I understand the entire world uses metrics. American scientists use metrics, too. I'm no American scientist. I just happen to know that I'm about 1.8M tall because I've created myself in my FIFA games before. How much do I weigh? About 180lbs. In kilograms? No idea. I wasn't asked my height or weight very often (and by that I mean never), but metrics did hamper my experience on two occasions. First, at the deli counter. I asked for 500 grams of ham. Apparently 500 grams of ham is only five slices. I bet that deli worker thought I was ridiculous asking for that small amount. Second, temperature. I didn't even attempt to make these conversions. My classmates would come to school and say things like, "Man, it is going to be a hot one today! 30 degrees!" I beg your pardon? 30 degrees. What does that mean? I know that 0 degrees Celsius is freezing. That is all. Needless to say, I never experienced freezing weather. Here is the equation that would have been helpful:

C = 5/9(F-32)

Am I going to do that in my head? No.

All joking aside, I won't miss being an ocean away from the people I care about most. While being in Alabama isn't much different than being in Berlin, it is comforting to be on the same continent as all of you. U-S-A all the way!

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

die Schwierigkeit -- challenge

Tuesday

2009-09-01T18:39:00.002-05:00

Well, it is Dienst...Tuesday. I might be having some Berlin withdrawals. Nothing too heavy, though.

Today was my first day back to school. I had two classes, one lecture and one graduate class. It made it a little easier to get back into things for two reasons. One, we talked about Prussia in my lecture class. Two, the author of our book in my graduate class is Ira Berlin. I got to talk a lot about Berlin today, just not the right kind of Berlin.

So far, all is well. I don't have much to report on the home front. I can say that it is nice to have Sportscenter back. I never knew how much I actually enjoyed watching it until I was deprived of it for two months. And miraculously, it appears that ESPN is now covering soccer much more closely. Soccer is a regular installment on the scrolling bottom line. Hooray.

My apartment is still a mess. That is the mission for tonight. I'm going to put (and throw) things away, organize, and make things livable again. Not like I live in some kind of dump by any stretch of the imagination, but I decided to just drop my bags in my living room rather than put things away last night.

I've got to say that there are some day-to-day things that I miss about Berlin:

1. Coin money-- Yes, we have coin money in America. But the highest denomination is a quarter of a dollar. In Berlin, I had 2 Euro coins, 1 Euro coins, and 0.50 Euro coins that I used frequently. You know what is great about those? You can actually buy things with them. Every morning, I'd grab some combination of 1, .5, and .2 coins to pay for my breakfast that consisted of a 1E chocolate croissant and a .70E cup of coffee. I'd find myself buying cones of ice cream with coins, doner kebab with coins, beers with coins, etc, etc. You could do so much with two or three coins. In America, you've gotta have at least 4 to make a dollar. That'd don't get it.

2. Milchkaffee-- literally translated: milk coffee. Figuratively translated, warm delicious. I'd order a milchkaffee in under one of two circumstances: 1. after lunch, 2. reading at a cafe. The waiter/ess brings a big round mug of coffee with foam on top. I don't know if we've got an equivalent in America. It isn't a cappuccino, it isn't a latte macchiato, and I don't think it is a latte (I'm not a fancy coffee connoisseur--my standard morning cup of joe is black). When you get your little spoon and mix the coffee and the foam, it makes this creamy coffee concoction that goes great with a book, whether that book is German Harry Potter or American history.

3. Weather-- I haven't experienced anything awful in Kentucky or Alabama, and to be quite honest, the weather in Kentucky was wonderful before I left. But, Berlin's weather was spectacular. Nearly no humidity. Only got above 80 on occasion. Rained a good amount. The weather was priceless.

4. UBAHN-- You could probably guess that one. I don't like driving.

The whole vibe of the city was really great. The history, the people, the events, the places were all really inspiring. Being in such an important city is something that I will miss. I guess Tuscaloosa is pretty important. They've got some important football to play this weekend.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

vermissen -- to miss

Back in Amerika

2009-08-31T18:41:00.002-05:00

Well folks, I have returned to the United States of America.

Thus far, the most difficult part was Heathrow. It was the first time being in an English-speaking place for two months. My brain, though, was still in German mode. I kept trying to put together German sentences in my mind, but when it came time to speak to attendants in the airport or waiters in the restaurants, I didn't need to do it. It was a little difficult to put together long strings of English sentences in a public place. A "nein" slipped out every now and then, but for the most part I did alright.

I had a Budweiser at home. I can't call it delicious. Sorry, Dad.

Now, I've come back to my apartment in Tuscaloosa. I can't stay too long because I need to try to get things put together and do a little reading before tomorrow. Though I promise more transition posts throughout the week. Fear not, folks.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika -- United States of America

Goodbye Berlin.

2009-08-27T17:17:00.002-05:00

Alright,

It is 4:30am Germany time. I'm off to catch the Breitenbachplatz UBahn for the last time, make my connection at Fehrbelliner Platz and head to Jakob-Kaiser Platz where I will take a bus to the airport for a plane at 7:15. That plane will take me to London. From there, another plane will bring me back to the land of the free and the home of the brave. Whoa.

I'm coming home.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

der Rückflug -- return flight

The Germies!!

2009-08-27T03:57:00.003-05:00

Well Americans, this is it. The last full day in Berlin. I can't believe it. It is already Thursday 27 August, and I'm nearly all packed up and ready to go. What do you do on a last day? I've got a museum or two to visit, a couple more gifts to buy, and plans to have a couple last beers with some classmates. More importantly? Celebrate. It has been a wonderful time here, and there's no use in moping over leaving. Why go out sad when you had a great ride? So today, I want to celebrate with you all by bringing you the first, and only...

GERMIE AWARDS!!!

I know it sounds like a kindergarten biology lesson, but let's not dwell on the name. It sounds better than Berlinies. Or maybe not. You can call them what you will.

Our first award of the night goes to the best cameo performance in a major motion picture. The winner...the NEIGHBORHOOD BLACK CAT! What film, you might ask? That film was called, "Peek in my window and climb onto the sill." This black cat just edged out the duo of Toad 1 and Toad 2 who made visits into my room. Sorry Toads, maybe next time.

The award for what I will miss most was a difficult one. I could say the people, I could say the atmosphere, I could say the history, etc, etc. What I think I will really miss so much is the PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. Man, this thing is wonderful! And I haven't driven a car in 2 months. I've only been in a car once, and that was a taxi. Hopefully, I haven't lost all of my driving skills and will not endanger all those around me. Maybe if Tuscaloosa would put a subway system together before I get back I wouldn't have to worry about this problem.

The best beer award goes to WEIHENSTEPHAN HEFE DUNKEL. Not only is Weihenstephan allegedly the oldest brewery in the world, but it also cranks out some delicious brews. A lot of times I could order a pilsner and be just satisfied, but this Hefe Dunkel was sweet and delicious. I don't know all kinds of technical terms to describe beer (though I do know that mouth feel is one--weird), but all I can say is try it.

My favorite restaurant goes to a restaurant whose name I actually do not know. It is a shame because I ate there several times after class. The restaurant was an Italian restaurant just across the street from my school. I call it the OIL RESTAURANT because I believe they specialized in cooking with olive oil. Whatever their secret, it was delicious. Yesterday, some classmates and I ate there for the last time and boy, did they treat us nicely. They gave us free pie! Free pie! It doesn't get much better than that! The food was delicious, the staff was nice, the drinks were tasty, and they gave us free pie. Thank you, mysterious oil restaurant on Pestalozzi Strasse.

Best villian--the EMU. See yesterday. I had a pretty neutral opinion of emus before this attack. I actually kinda felt bad for them because they had wings and they couldn't fly. I thought to myself, "What a waste of wings! It is a shame that even though you can run fast, you can't fly with your wings!" It is a cruel joke. But now, no sympathy what soever. I'm glad your taunted daily by your wings and your ugly face. I even have a touch of ill will against ostriches since they are so similar. So to the emu community of the world, I'm sorry but one haughty emu at the Berlin Zoo ruined it all for you.

Biggest surprise--this might have to be the Track and Field World Championships. I saw many sporting events; yes, 3 counts as many. I was aware that Arsenal played in Germany. As soon as I found out that I was coming to Germany, I thought to myself, "Arsenal played Stuttgart last season, and they train in Austria during the summer!" I'm just glad I got to go. But the TRACK AND FIELD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS were a complete surprise to me. Track and field is one of those sports that I watch during the Olympics and get excited about, but afterward, I lose touch because no one covers it anymore. It was really great to see a world record broken and to see how all of those athletes could perform. The Track and Field World Championships just beat out German mustard for this position. It is so delicious and so diverse.

Best night--I must say the ARSENAL MATCH. Okay yes, I got to see my most favorite sports team play. I got to see something that I might not get to see again (let's hope not, though). I saw one of the best soccer teams in the world play and some of the best athletes in the world perform. But I also got to meet some really great people. Paschal and Otto were a lot of fun. Uwe (Ulle? Uh oh, I can't remember) offered some good conversation. I can't describe how much fun it was. Maybe I should write a poem about it?

The most impressive sight--I saw lots of things while I was here in Berlin. I saw the Brandenburg Gate, the bust of Nefertiti, Sachsenhausen, Olympiastadion, Charlottenberg Palace, Usain Bolt run the fastest 200m race in the history of the world, and many, many other things. I must say that the CASTLE CHURCH may have been the most impressive thing that I saw. It wasn't particularly gigantic, but the sight was really something. The sanctuary was so intricately decorated and the building itself so rich with history that it is difficult to ignore. I was really impressed with the sights that I saw at that church.

And lastly, the award for "Will I come back to Berlin" goes to someone very special to all of us. This award goes out to YES. Berlin has been absolutely incredible. I saw so much, and at the same time still only scratched the surface. It is difficult for me to communicate how much fun I had, how impressed I was, and how much I learned while being here. I didn't just learn about the language, but I learned about the history, I learned about the people, and I learned about myself. I have survived two months in a foreign country. But I don't want to say alone because I certainly wouldn't not have had the same experience without my family and my friends. So I want to say thank you to you all for following along with me and keeping in touch. It has really meant a lot to me.

Before I take off for the day, one important note. As I said before, this is a terminal blog. All good things must come to an end, and that includes this blog. But! Even though I come back on Friday, that doesn't mean the blog stops on Friday! The last day of blogging will be the following Friday 4 September. I thought it would be nice to give some debriefing and let you know how American life is post-Germany. So stick with me for one more week!

Have a lovely Thursday, America, and I'll see you tomorrow.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

die Auszeichnung -- award

A triptych

2009-08-26T13:38:00.002-05:00

I said a few weeks ago, when I posted about food, that I needed a complete post to talk about one of my most favorite parts about Berlin--

Beer.

Well, that time has come. But I realized that I can't do justice to my love for German brews by just describing tastes. So I bring to you:

Will's Poetry Corner.

I bring to you three different poems united by their similarities--

a haiku

golden majesty--

Crisp on a warm Berlin day.

Hops, barley, Heaven.

When in Germany

I like to drink beer while I'm out.

Don't care if it's light or a stout.

If it's from Berlin

I think it's a sin

to say no to a drink from the spout!

and lastly...

Ode to gold in a glass

Oh beer

Sometimes you are not clear

but I don't shed a tear

for that means you are brewed from wheat

and I think that's pretty sweet

You are so delicious;

no one should be suspicious

or feel malicious

because I drink you.

Simply put, you are a tasty brew.

Don't worry, friends. I don't have any sort of problem. I just really think that the beer here in Germany tastes delicious. I've also included a photographic tribute to beer.

Additionally and on a completely different note, did I tell you all that I was bitten by an emu last week? You betcha I was! At the Berlin Zoo. I was taking a picture of the emus, and one curiously poked its head through the cage. I didn't think much of it, and really I thought, "Cool! I can take a closer picture." And by closer picture, I mean have my finger bitten. No worries. The emu didn't have teeth. But honestly, who gets bitten by an emu!? See the two pictures here. It was actually a pretty funny incident. I laughed a lot.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

lecker -- delicious

No more class

2009-08-25T14:38:00.002-05:00

Well, I am finished with class. Today was the last day of instruction. While I still have a test to take on Wednesday and Thursday, things are officially coming to a close.

We had a nice reception after class today. I'll see some of my classmates at the exam over the next couple of days, but it was good to have some last words with others and exchange emails. Of course every class has some sour spots and some tension, everyone seemed to be pretty happy. It was, for the most part, a great class. It was very diverse with lots of different opinions and world views, and that made class a lot more interesting.

As far as my German, I can honestly say that it is so much better. I can function quite comfortably in Germany with the language that I have. Some things pass me by, but for the most part, I can understand and function. I feel like I've accomplished something that I can use in the future. I definitely have developed my German to pave the way for other opportunities that come my way. Certainly, German will be helpful for my research that I will engage in the future. I believe that now no sentence is untranslatable for me. Before, I would come across sentences, have absolutely no idea what it said and further, no idea how to go about translating it. I thought I knew what to do, how the sentence was structured, etc., but when the translation came out, the sentence was meaningless. Now, I do not believe that that will happen. I built upon my skills that I learned in college, fine tuned them, and added to them. I'm really satisfied with the progress I made.

The big question that faces me now is how I can keep up the progress that I made. How can I keep building on what I've done and not lose the progress that I've made? Thanks to my mother, I am a fan of "The Biggest Loser," and for the contestants, it is always just as important to lose weight and maintain their lifestyle after the television show. Well, I'm now in the same boat. How do I keep that up? The biggest issue will be with speaking. Here, I speak German every day. I have to. I have to to talk with classmates, I have to to order food, I have to to function. Naturally in America, I don't have to do that. I could waltz down to Edelweiss German bakery in Tuscaloosa and try my hand at German there, but I could just as easily order pretzel rolls in English.

For reading and hearing, the internet is a valuable tool. I can access German newspapers, keep tabs on German Harry Potter, and work on my own research. That not only keeps my grammar sharp but simultaneously expands my vocabulary (it took me a while to think of that word in English). I can also find German videos easily on the internet. Many times, German news websites have videos, and there are countless other resources that I can use. I'm really looking forward to taking advantage of these things and keeping up with my German.

I think this a good challenge for me. Looking for new ways to use my German and finding ways to work it in and keep it sharp will be a good challenge. It would be a shame to lose the progress that I have made here, because it is considerable. I'm pretty proud of what I've done, and I won't let it go to waste.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

das Ende -- end

Alright, that's it...

2009-08-24T14:33:00.003-05:00

I apologize to everyone. It is official--I'm not coming home.

You might be asking, "But Will?! Why!? Why are you not coming home?" One answer--beer gardens.

It is like an amusement park for adults. It is the most wonderful thing that someone could imagine. What do they have at beer gardens? Beer and trees and food. What a combination! The food is good hearty Germany food like bratwurst and potato salad and various mini-steaks, and giant pretzels. The beer, most of the time, doesn't come in weenie glasses but great looking mugs with thick walls and sturdy handles. Mugs that are built for slamming against other mugs, spilling beer all over the place and yelling, "PROST!"

Here's how I came to this realization--Today was actually shaping up to be a less than remarkable afternoon. Like usual, I dallied too long at lunch with my classmates, and that cut my "me time" this afternoon a bit short. (It was kinda worth it, though, because our Japanese classmate took us to this restaurant that she had found, and I ate some killer sushi.) When I got back to my place, I had to prepare my talk for tomorrow. Yes, I'm giving my speech on the last day of class. At least I'm giving one--that's more than some of our classmates can say. So, seeing that I got back to my room at about 4:30 and I had to prepare my speech, I thought this afternoon wasn't going to be too hot. I thought I'd take a few hours to prepare my talk, walk down to Kaiser's, pick up some ham and some rolls, make a sandwich, and watch the Liverpool v. Aston Villa match on my computer. Boooy was I wrong.

I managed to get my speech done reasonably quickly, and I picked out a new part of town to visit--Dahlem. I had aims to visit an old church there. I didn't find it until about 8pm (I went the wrong way out of the UBahn station. It was actually about a 4 minute walk from the Dahlem-Dorf station). Dahlem is lovely. It is an older part of town, and all of the houses are giant and old with ivy growing all over them. They look like they're all traditional German houses with peculiarly shaped roofs and dark brown frames against white stuccoed walls. It really is quite a site to see. Among these houses, I found the Alter Krug.

Around the time I found the Alter Krug, it was about time for dinner. I was thinking to myself, "Ohh, a beer garden! That'd be nice if I had other people with me." So I passed. In doing so, I found the old church I was looking for, but it was too dark to take pictures. I also thought, "Will, you're going to eat alone anyway. Who cares if it is a beer garden or not?" Good thought, me! I turned around, and marched up to the bar and said, "Könnte ich ein mal Berliner Pils mit Bratwurst und Kartoffelsalat bestellen?" Before I knew it, I was enjoying my beer, wurst, and potato salad. Here's a lovely shot of the Alter Krug:

The beer was good, the food was delicious, the weather was incredible, the atmosphere was beautiful. It was smaller than the other beer gardens I had visited and tucked away a little more. It was a little more secluded than the ones that I have been to in Tiergarten and Prenzlauerberg. I don't want to go on about how it is "untouristy" because I certainly heard some American English, but I do think it was a little bit more off the beaten path. I just got a really good vibe. Maybe it was the weather. Maybe it was the beer or the food or the name (the old mug), but I couldn't complain one bit--except I wish that you all could've been there with me. I'm glad I went. It was a lovely place to experience, but to make the night perfect, the Alter Krug needed good family and good friends.

So ultimately, I'm kidding. I'm actually coming home. I will be back on Friday. I must say this though, if graduate school doesn't work out, I will seriously consider my hand at being a German beer schlepper in Dahlem. I don't have to know about any fancy-pants cocktails. All I've gotta do is take money and dish out beer and wine. So America, I have a request. Can we get a few more places like the Alter Krug before I come back? Thanks

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

der Biergarten -- heaven

The newspaper lady

2009-08-22T13:46:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I had an incident. Nothing extremely major, but it certainly weighed on my mind a little bit.

Senior year, I took a class about poverty and homelessness. I learned a lot about trends, legislation, psychology, and theology/philosophy relating to this topic. I didn't just read about it in books, but I stayed in a homeless shelter in Louisville as well. Ever since this class, I've had a heightened awareness for the topic and even started to shift my research interest a bit, focusing on welfare issues.

So that being said, I tend to think about issues regarding poverty and homelessness often. This is the first time that I have been confronted with such visible homelessness so regularly. I am 100% aware that there is a homeless population in Murray, Danville, and Tuscaloosa, but it isn't as visible as in Berlin. There are beggars on street corners, street performers, and newspaper salespeople.

My focus today is on the newspaper salespeople. I have a lot of respect for the newspaper salespeople. First of all, they are not selling the Berliner Morgenpost, the Tagesspiegel, or any other widely circulated German newspaper. They write their own paper with themes specific to homelessness and poverty. The salespeople will board UBahn or SBahn trains and give a small sales pitch that usually includes their name, how long they have been homeless, and information about the paper. Then, they walk up and down the train looking for interested buyers. When the train arrives at its station, they will get off, switch trains, and continue on their way.

Well, Friday night on the way home from Inglorious Basterds, I decided to give money to a newspaper saleswoman. It was about 11:30 at night, and I had some extra change in my pocket. She boarded the train, gave her pitch, and walked my way. I handed her my 1.5o Euro, but when she handed me my newspaper, I didn't take it. She said something like, "Are you sure," and I said, "Yes, thank you." She said, "Thank you" and went on her way into the night with her backpack full of newspapers. It is quite possible that she didn't give the exchange a second thought, but I did. I then gave it a third, a fourth, a fifth, etc, etc.

I felt bad. I will tell you why, and you can agree with me or disagree with me. By selling newspapers, she was doing more than sitting on the street asking for donations. She was using her power and abilities to reestablish a functional position in society in which she offered a product or a service and received compensation for that. Just like I offer a service to the University of Alabama or you perform your daily jobs at work, so did she. But when I gave her the 1.50 Euro and refused the newspaper, I broke that relationship that she was trying to establish between us. I was essentially saying, "No, I refuse your service, and I am giving you a donation." And that isn't what she wanted.

I could be reading too much into this. I keep telling myself that my heart was in the right place. I gave her money because I respected and admired what she was doing. But I don't just give money to people who check me out at Wal-Mart. I don't just give money to store owners because I like that they're offering me a service. By just giving her money, I was treating her differently than I would a regular salesperson, when I feel the whole reason she sells newspapers is to be treated as a regularly functioning salesperson.

Like I said, she may have not given it a second thought. It might happen to her all the time. I probably see more people refuse newspapers than actually take them, but for me personally, that doesn't make it okay. I look at programs like these newspapers as a step out of poverty. It helps initiate lifestyle changes, and I feel like I'm undermining that process when I give a donation and refuse the service.

What have I learned from this experience? Take the newspaper.

Thoughts? Agree? Disagree?

See you all again on Monday. One more week! Who can believe it?

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

die Zeitung -- newspaper

Postponed

2009-08-21T17:46:00.001-05:00

Blog nation,

I apologize, but I am postponing today's post until tomorrow. I do have something good to discuss, but I need time to process a little bit. I actually have two good things to talk about, so don't fret. You will have a special Saturday edition tomorrow, and we will resume with standard operating procedure on Monday. Sorry, faithful followers.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

aufschieben -- to postpone

19.19

2009-08-20T16:34:00.003-05:00

Back to Olympiastadion tonight. I don't have a lot to say other than this:

Usain Bolt isn't a human being.

World record. Incredible.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

schnell -- fast

All about da keedz!

2009-08-19T11:59:00.002-05:00

Today, we have some special guests with us. I'd like to thank Canaan, Tyler, Mason, and Kelly from my mom's class for their excellent questions about Germany. Today I'll take some time to answer them and hopefully give everyone a better glimpse of Germany.

Question 1 comes from Kelly:

How big is the Castle Church?

As some of you might remember the Castle Church stands in Wittenberg. It was at this church that Martin Luther nailed up his 95 Theses to begin the Protestant Revolution. Kelly, it is quite a sizable church. In terms of square feet, I cannot say how large. The sanctuary was probably one of the largest that I have visited. It has a balcony that can accommodate a few hundred people. The church also has a large tower. I did a bit of research and found out that this tower is 300 feet tall. To get a good sense of how tall that is: take a football field, and stand it up on one end zone. That is 300 feet tall. Visitors could walk up to the observation deck which was just over halfway up, 170ft high. The pictures that look out over Wittenberg are from this deck. To get to the deck, visitors must walk up 289 steps. 289! Needless to say I was exhausted by the time I got to the top. And the staircases are spiral, so I was a bit dizzy as well.

Question number 2 comes from Mason:

Is it true that Berlin is big?

Yes, Mason. Berlin is big. In terms of people, Berlin is home to nearly 3,5000,000 people. Murray, on the other hand, has approximately 15,000 people. With regard to land, Berlin is about 35 times larger than Murray. Berlin is the largest city, in terms of population, in germany. Hamburg is second with just over 1.5M people. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that Berlin is the largest city that I've lived in. I wish I could more accurately describe its size, but it certainly dwarfs Murray. I don't know if it is even fair to compare the two.

Question number 3 comes from Tyler:

Is it true that Germans are very nice?

From my experiences, Germans have been very nice. Many believe that Germans can be cold and a bit short when they talk to people. Some say that Germans are direct and don't care much for chit-chat. I, on the other hand, have found things to be quite different. Many of you may remember the Berliners that I met on the way home from the Arsenal match. They were very welcoming and very interested in talking to me. It could have had something to do with the certain soccer team that we both supported, but not necessarily. I spoke with a group of men and a son and a father. Looking back on it, these people had very strong relationships with one another and by no means had to open up their respective circles to an outsider American like myself. But they did, and there was no problem whatsoever. I've had other good experiences with people in the UBahn, in cafes, in bars, and many other places. People here in Berlin seem to be very open and very willing to talk with me and help me.

Finally, question number 4 comes from Canaan:

Are the Germans bad like on the Indiana Jones movies?

No, not at all. The bad guys from the Indiana Jones movies were Germans, but they in no way represent the broader population of Germany. They come from a small group of Germans that took power in the 1930s, but they spoke for only a radical minority of Germans. These Germans were only in power for about 12 years, and now Germany and the world condemns their actions. Germans are very nice and helpful people, as noted in question 3. The bad guys in Indiana Jones represent only a historical image of a group of people that identified with a terrible world view. They do not represent Germany or the German people.

I hope these answers help some of you, and I thank you for your questions. Keep them coming in, and I look forward to hearing from you all soon. Take care,

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

die Frage -- question

Ich bin kein Berliner.

2009-08-18T15:32:00.003-05:00

A different spin on President Kennedy's famous quotation. I'll let you figure out what it means after reading this post--

I've gotten a question in about how I try to fit into a foreign environment. Do I try to pass myself off as a Berliner? Do I worry that I might stick out as a tourist? How do I try to experience Berlin? Touristy? Non-touristy?

This is a good question because it is something that I've certainly thought about, and I've come to the following conclusion. I am not from Germany. I'm not from Berlin. I speak German with a particularly strong American accent, and I sometimes have trouble speaking with real Germans. That means that unless I spend a considerable amount of time here in Berlin--years and years--I will be a tourist. And that is something that I'm completely comfortable with.

I visit the touristy sites. I've been to the museums, I've been to the Brandenburg Gate, to Olympiastadion. I do those things because I think, "Hey, I'm in Berlin. These things are interesting exhibits, and they're 'touristy' for a reason." People want to see them. I want to see them. As a result, I brave the tourist crowd to see what Berlin has to offer. I'm sure I probably do stand out because I generally carry around my camera bag just like everyone else. And that is alright by me. If someone pegs me for a tourist, that is just fine. Because I am. I don't feel particularly conspicuous when I visit these places or even if I go into a bar with a pamphlet from a museum or tourist site. It is a simple fact. Even though I've been here for almost two months now and I might consider myself more of a student than a genuine "tourist," I am touring Berlin, and there's no getting around that.

But, I also like to see the "real" side of Berlin. I actually spoke with Ulle about this on the way back from the Arsenal. We agreed that you can't understand the "true" culture of Berlin when you go to museums or the Television tower because "real" Berliners don't go there all the time. They can often give you a historical or a cultural basis from which to understand today's Berliners, but you can't get a really good understanding of present-day Berlin from these places. "Real" Berliners can be found in the cafes and the bars and at the soccer matches. I try to get my fair share of these experiences. I've been to a number of cafes, bars, sporting events, etc, and I've had a chance to see how people act, talk, work, laugh, and curse. But ultimately I know if someone approaches me, I'm not going to hide the fact that I'm a tourist.

This is so for a couple of reasons. First, I can't. My German isn't particularly sharp, and I also speak with a seemingly thick American accent. When you can't roll your r's in the back of your throat like Germans do, it's a dead give away. Second, I think Germans have very finely-tuned American detectors installed in their brains. People approach me and speak English fairly frequently without me giving any hint that I might be foreign. Do I look American? What does a typical American look like? Third, it opens the doors for an interesting exchange--bluegrass meets Berlin, if you will. The Berliners who have asked about my home think its fascinating that I'm from Kentucky and want to know all about chicken (actually, that's a tad obnoxious).

Ultimately, I don't worry about the fact that I'm a tourist. The touristy sites are popular for a reason, and I don't mind putting on the tourist bag and heading off to see what Berlin has to offer. But I also want to experience those things which are further away from tourist Berlin. I want to get a sense of the people and you can't do that in the Bode Museum. When I go to local bars or cafes, though, I don't worry about being identified as such. While I'm not going to parade around that I'm an American and everyone should know it, the simple fact is that I'm experiencing Berlin from an outsider's perspective. It would take me a long time (or maybe not even be possible) for me to experience Berlin the way true Berliners do, so I don't want to try. I want to partake of the same fare that Berliners eat and drink from the same tap from which Berliners drink, but I'll do that as a Kentuckian in a foreign land.

Do I want to visit the "real" Berlin? Absolutely. I don't want to spend all of my time at the KaDeWe because that's not what Berliners do. But I know that when I go to a non-touristy or "real" part of Berlin that I'm not experiencing the "real" Berlin because I'm not experiencing it as Berliners do. I'm experiencing it as I do, and I am no Berliner.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

der Auslander -- foreigner

Life on Bingerstrasse

2009-08-17T08:15:00.005-05:00

Hello liebe Leute,

I hope you all had wonderful weekends. I certainly did. Not only was it extremely relaxing, but also I visited Wannsee. There I managed to get a good whiff of the German outdoors, and I visited the house where the Wannsee Conference was held. The Wannsee Conference was a meeting in 1942 at which a group of Nazi officers finalized the Final Solution. It was fascinating to read about it in the exhibit, but additionally to see how the house fit into the "lake scene." It looked like a perfectly normal lake-front house, well integrated in between the sailing clubs and private homes. I might be dedicating a blog post to this trip in the future.

Additionally, I learned quite a bit about construction this weekend. If any of you are in need of any sort of demolition job, just call up ARSENAL FC!! Completely OBLITERATED Everton on Saturday 6-1 at Everton! Whoa! What a way to start the season! Bring it on, Celtic!

To the truly important topic today: Bingerstrasse.

Bingerstrasse is a wonderful place to live. It is fairly residential compared to the rest of Berlin that I have visited. Thanks to my portal to the world--Breitenbach Platz--Bingerstrasse doesn't stay so suburban. Except to visit Kaiser's, I use the Breitenbach Platz UBahn station for nearly everything. I use it every day to go to class, I use it on weekend adventures, I use it in the afternoon. Whenever I need to go somewhere, I use the trusty Breitenbach Platz UBahn station on U3. It is conveniently located close to Heidelberger Platz when one can switch to the SBahn when necessary.

After emerging from Breitenbach Platz, first thing's first: cross the street. After, there is a small courtyard-esque area next to which stands an Italian restaurant. I hadn't tried it until yesterday, and I must say it is very tasty. I had the lasagna, and mmmmm. Mamma mia!

The stroll down Bingerstrasse is lined with trees and seemingly large houses. I don't know if these are single houses or divided into town house-like arrangements. I would venture a guess that many of the houses on the street are like the one where I live. Nikolas owns the house, but students or neighbors live in different rooms throughout the year. Currently, there are three students living in my house. Last week, Nikolas kept one of his neighbors while her family members visited. While none of these houses are identical, I guess that many of the residents have similar situations that Nikolas offers. I have no real reason for guessing this, but after being here for a month and a half, I just have a particular feeling.

The house in which I live is attached to another. The building is nice, with ivy crawling up and down the walls. There is not much room for a front yard, but what there is, Nikolas keeps in good shape. He ran a sprinkler yesterday, and I always notice some kind of improvement.

The house itself is very colorful. The foyer is pink. Maybe magenta (I'm not very good with color names). Needless to say, it is bright. It isn't something that I would choose personally, but it certainly works. I didn't walk in the first time and think, "Holy crap! This wall is pink! What was this person thinking?" The stairwell down to my room is a turquoise color. It, again, is a bit bright, but isn't shocking. It all works pretty well, actually.

Finally, my room. It has all of the modern luxuries that one might need as a student staying for two months in Berlin. I have a bed, a TV, a desk, a microwave, a refrigerator, a good reading chair, a sink with a goose faucet, and a nice collection of dishes and silverware. What else could one need? I only have one problem. There is no air condition in Nikolas's house which means that I keep my window open all day. As a result, I get the occasional bug in my room. Sometimes, the wildlife is a little more diverse than that, e.g., the neighbor's cat and a frog. But really, it's always an adventure opening my door, so I can't complain too much.

Bingerstrasse has been good to me. It isn't too busy like some other areas of town, but it isn't boring, either. I've found a couple of good cafes, Kaiser's, a restaurant or two, and everything is easily accessible with the UBahn. I really think I've got a pretty ideal living situation, here. I can easily make it into the city, but I can also have a break as well. I don't have to go out of my way to find some peace and quiet when I need. I can just walk up and down Bingerstrasse, and that works for me.

For more images from Bingerstrasse, check out my pictures here. There are only 3 beer bottles in my room.

Before I sign off, I just wanted to wish Danielle good luck today! Today, she begins her first day of TA training at UK, so everyone wish her good luck if you see or talk to her today. I know you'll do great today! Don't even worry at all.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

die Nachbarschaft -- neighborhood

Picture Day!

2009-08-14T07:47:00.002-05:00

You know you loved it every year! Get you're nice clothes on, comb your hair, and smile for the camera.

Today's a little different. You won't get to have your picture made. I, on the other hand, have been sitting on a lot of pictures that have yet to be posted. Therefore, I mark the 14th of August 2009 as Picture Day!

I bring you 6 different albums:

1. My adventures around the Brandenburg Gate, Gendarmenmarkt, and Nikolaiviertel.

2. My boat tour.

3. The Jewish Museum

4. The Reichstag

5. A (small) part of Kreuzberg

and finally,

6. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.

You might be able to view them in a better quality if you use the "slideshow" and "full screen" options.

Finally, I will leave you with these two things:

We're winding down here in Germany. I have two weeks left. Unbelievable, huh? If you have any requests about blog topics, send them my way. If any of you have any questions that you'd like answered, any themes you want to hear about, any specifics about my day-to-day operations, please send them along. I want you all to get something out of this, too, and I'm more than happy to oblige.

Many of you have been asking about where I live and what my house is like. That is why I am making this promise to you. Monday, I will bring you a Binger Strasse exclusive about my neighborhood, my house, my room, etc, etc. Pictures included. So, get ready. Tying in with previous point, if any of you have any specific questions about my humble German abode, get them in before Monday.

Have a lovely weekend, and enjoy the pictures!

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

das Foto -- photograph

How do we remember?

2009-08-13T14:49:00.003-05:00

Brace yourselves, blog nation. A bit bumpy today--

Today I visited a former Stasi (Staat Sicherheit--State Security, i.e., East German secret police) prison. It was really a fascinating tour. I'll be the first person to admit that for a German historian, my knowledge of Germany after 1945 is embarrassing underdeveloped. The former prison, Hohenschönhausen, was converted from a former Nazi Welfare kitchen into this prison/camp. At this prison, political "offenders" were kept for indefinite amounts of time and subjected to extreme psychological abuse. When it was first opened, torture such as water boarding and water torture were employed, but afterward, the prison administrators moved to an approach that attacked the mind. Guards subjected prisoners to sleep deprivation, extreme disorientation, and created a general atmosphere of hopelessness. It goes without saying that to be a prisoner in this place would have been absolutely unimaginable.

But events and places such as this are apart of the history of Germany and Berlin. Additionally, events such as the Holocaust and the Third Reich weigh heavily on Germany's historical conscience. The question that I've been wrestling with for the last 24 hours or so is how do we we remember such a difficult history such as this? What does one do with such a catastrophic past?

This theme has been rolling around in my mind for years now, but since arriving in Berlin, it has become more and more germane. I've visited Sachsenhausen, the Jewish Museum, the Memorial for the Murdered Jews of Europe, and now the Stasi prison, and it has been made apparent to me that such history is inescapable when one comes to Berlin. It is hardly even history yet because I read a small article in the Tagesspiegel yesterday about a 91-year old National Socialist who was recently found guilty for the part he played in the murder of 10 Italian civilians in Tuscany. More, I just looked up to the television and saw the German police shield and a swastika on the nightly news.

What really catalyzed this question was yesterday, seeing all of the people running around the monument. I was taken aback. I thought to myself, "This is a monument for murdered Jews!" It was as if people didn't understand where they were. I understand that some people might be of the persuasion that this is a sign of moving forward. When people can behave regularly again, then it indicates that people are moving past such atrocities. That might be so--BUT. There is an entire city for hide-and-go seek; there are entire parks for tag. The Alps are not far if you're into climbing, and I imagine that many health clubs have climbing walls. If you want to get some sun, Wannsee isn't too far (and even Wannsee has severe historical implications) and I'm sure Berlin has some very clean tanning beds. This city block is for something completely different.

Some of my response may be because I'm not European. It might be because I am not exposed to this everyday and don't read about Nazis or other historical catastrophes. But I don't think that should really matter. I don't want to think that I'm desensitized to the Holocaust or to the Stasi or any of these mass murders. When de-sensitivity develops, indifference rises. I'm by no means saying that any of these sites that I have visited contributes to indifference, I actually think the opposite. I believe that they serve a very important function--to remind.

We should never forget these events. Remembrance, though, isn't enough. What is important is how we remember these events. When I was able to tune out the noise that was around me yesterday, I actually felt a little disoriented and anxious. These giant stone slabs rose high above me, and it wasn't a comfortable feeling. I don't want to suggest that I could understand the realities of any of the events that occurred in the 1930s and 40s, but it create a particular emotion. The monument communicated a specific feeling to me that I could associate with the past. I don't want to say that everyone should have the same experience that I had, but there should be some sort of respectful connection. These places were preserved for a reason. These monuments were designed and constructed for a reason. They should evoke, remind, and help us grow.

Whether one is confronted with some representation of the realities of Sachsenhausen or Hohenschönhauser or the artistic interpretation at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, memorials and historical sites should remind. No one should have the same experience when visiting these places, but the focus should be on the subject. When visitors treat memorials with appropriate reverence, then we can be sure that we can remember appropriately. We won't become indifferent or desensitized. With such respect can we treat history with the attention and maturity that it deserves. That way we can learn not how to start over but how to move forward.

Thoughts? Agree? Disagree? Should we be able to play around on the slabs at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews? Let me know what you think.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

das Denkmal -- memorial

Great day

2009-08-12T15:52:00.004-05:00

‘ello lads and lasses.

What a day today! All around a very solid day—

We begin with class. First before that, I’ve found a permanent place for breakfast. There’s a stand at my last UBahn stop, Wilhelmsdorfer Strasse. I’d always been a little skeptical about these stands in UBahn stations, but I’d seen other people using them, and I thought I’d give it a try. This stand has delicious Schoko-Croissants. A Schoko-Croissant is a normal croissant with chocolate injected into the middle. It’s like a cream-cram or a jelly donut, but instead of a donut and cream/jelly, it is a croissant with chocolate. Delicious. That plus a cup of coffee is a wonderful way to start any day.

Now class. Our teacher brought us chocolate! We’re doing some good things in class, but it gets even better when you get to learn AND eat chocolate! It wasn’t just regular old chocolate either. It was some special Swiss chocolate—regular milk chocolate and chocolate with some kind of strawberry filling.

Immediately after class, two things happened. Most immediately, I went to eat lunch with some classmates. My lunch = incredible. I wasn’t so sure what exactly I was ordering, but I went out on a limb and ordered the Regensburger Wurst with potato salad. I had an idea what I was going to get (meat and potatoes), but no one can ever be sure. How can one know these things? Well, it came, and it was primo good. The sausages were these fat little things, and the potato salad wasn’t runny or too mayonnaise-y. What made it all was this special mustard that came on the side. It was sweet and spicy at the same time. I don’t have any idea what it was aside from magic. I topped it off with a milchkaffee and was ready to seize the afternoon.

Next to most immediately after class, I came back to my room to get a few things prepared and decide where I’d head for the evening. I also ordered tickets to yet another sporting event. I’ll be headed to the Track and Field World Championships next Thursday. Among the events I’ll see is the Men’s 200M Final, i.e., Usain Bolt v. Tyson Gay. Awesome.

I did two really interesting things this afternoon (with a small shopping intercession in between). I visited the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Some of you may be familiar with this. It is a memorial that takes up about an entire city block and is composed of different sized concrete slabs. There are 2,500+, and they vary in height. It creates a maze-like affect in the middle that can be a little disorienting and create a little bit of anxiety. It was a really moving memorial. It’s interesting, and it also sends an important message. Additionally, there is a complimentary exhibit under the memorial that adds that much more to the experience.

I was a little taken aback by the atmosphere there. The memorial is clearly titled, “The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.” Nothing about that title or the mood created by the memorial itself suggests that visitors should climb or jump from one concrete slab to another or play hide-and-go-seek in between. For me, I expected an atmosphere of remembrance, and instead I found something that was nearly a playground.

What I think was most surprising: I also discovered that there were five Ralls that were murdered during the Holocaust, all from Romania: Moses (54), Crelli (51), Iacob (20), Rene (16), and Menzin (not known). Moving.

Following my visit, I wanted to visit Freie Universität Berlin. A former German professor of mine, Dr. Wilson, sent me images of the philosophy library and it looked like a wonderful place to visit. The architecture fascinating, and it would give me an opportunity to see that the university itself looked like. Recently, I discovered that the university was just three stops away from my house.Perfect. I didn’t find the library (it was getting a little late by the time I got there), but I did find probably the most peaceful place I’ve yet to find in Berlin.

This campus(?) was wonderful. It was like a little town, and while I don’t know a whole lot about how European universities are set up, I got the impression it was different that Alabama. Green space to be found everywhere, trees, wonderfully old-looking houses, and ducks! Yes, ducks! I can see myself packing up a book and heading back there ASAP.

Ladies and Gentlemen, that is all I have for today. It was a bit of a rundown, and I’m sure I’ll pick some of these themes up sometime soon. The main points of the day: it was good, I visited a fascinating memorial, Freie Universität Berlin is lovely. I know I blazed over some of this stuff, but like I said, I'll come back to some of these. Especially some of my thoughts about the memorial. Just need a little more time to process. Bear with me, blog world.

I also bought a jacket. It is red. It has a black Nike check on the left chest and a German flag on the right. It rules.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

affenstark -- (literally, as strong as an ape) really, really good

Schmeckt mir lecker!

2009-08-11T13:58:00.002-05:00

New day, new blog...let's get it going--

I can't believe that I haven't blogged about this yet. One of the essential parts of my day--my life really. I can't live without it (and neither can you).

FOOD.

German food! How can I forget the German food! It is delicious! Most everything about it is delicious. Traditional German food consists of some kind of meat, some potatoes, and some bread. How can you mess that up? Answer. You can't. I've had lots of bratwurst over here. Bratwurst alone, bratwurst with mustard (Senf), bratwurst with saurkraut, bratwurst on bread, and the list goes on and on. I would make one suggestion to the German people: you need to understand the concept of the bun a little better. We all know how hot dogs and buns work, and I was under the impression that that concept was international. Nope. Germany uses what they call "Brötchen." Brot is the German word for bread, while "-chen" is a diminutive suffix. Put it together and you've got little bread...literally. If you order a Bratwurst mit Brötchen, you'll get a gigantic bratwurst with this mini-bun in the middle. No joke, it probably only covers about 1/3 of the sausage. I'm not going to complain too much because the bratwurst is excellent, but take that step to greatness Germany.

One thing that I don't order too often, or anymore, is currywurst. I don't understand what Germany's obsession with this food is. They love it so much that they're opening an entire museum dedicated to currywurst. What it is is a sausage chopped up, smothered with ketchup, and dusted with curry powder. In my opinion? Waste of a perfectly good sausage.

Honestly, though, I haven't been eating obscene amounts of German food. It isn't like I'm chomping on bratwurst mit brötchen every day. Berlin is actually pretty well known for its culinary diversity. I eat Italian, Turkish, Chinese, Lebanese, American, etc, etc. One staple is the Döner Kebab. It is a pretty delicious meal, and it is super cheap (we're talking 2 Euro). When one goes into a Döner shop, you'll see this giant barrel of meat roasting vertically on a spit. It's either chicken or lamb, and how they form this meat into a barrel shape is beyond me. When you order, they'll hack some off, stuff it in some bread (which is usually toasted), put some lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and some kind of magic dust on there and send you on your way. OH! There's also sauce. Typical Döner sauce is some white cucumber concoction. Many of you are familiar with my aversion to sauces such as these, and while I must admit I don't hate this sauce, I go with the red spicy sauce. When you're on the run or looking to save a couple Euros, a Döner will absolutely hit the spot.

I've been to two sporting events now, and some of you might be saying, "Will, can you get a big order of nachos or popcorn or peanuts at a German soccer match?" My answer to you is sadly, no. At both matches, I had bratwurst. But what I found most amusing (and different) was what they sold in the stands. We all know and love the beer man, the peanut man, the ice cream man--these hard-working salesmen greatly improve my experience at sporting events by allowing me to stay in my seat without getting thirsty. They come to me! In Germany, they have the beer man. That much is clear. But they also have the bread man. Yes, the bread man. He travels the stands just like the beer man, but instead of carrying 10 or 15 beers, he carries a giant wicker basket full of pretzels and rolls. It is really endearing to see a big, tough, drunk soccer fan picking a giant pretzel out of a wicker basket that, more often than not, has some nice decorative lining.

I've been completely satisfied with the German food. I can say that I've yet to go hungry. Some of you might also be thinking, "But Will! This is only the food! What about the drink?" Meine gute Damen und Herrn, I would do the drink injustice if I tried to include it here as well. Another post for another time.

Take care and feed yourself,

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

das Essen -- food

Olympiastadion redux

2009-08-10T09:04:00.006-05:00

Well ladies and gentlemen, I returned to Olympiastadion. For a Jehovah's Witnesses conference? No. Why, then, might you have been there, Will? To celebrate the beginning of the 2009/2010 Bundesliga season and watch Hertha Berlin play Hannover 96. Now, you might remember Hannover 96 from a couple of weeks ago, and you would be correct! I travelled to Hannover to see God's Team (Arsenal) play. A week and a half later, I got a chance to see if they improved from their particularly stingy performance v. the Gunners.

I had been looking forward to this match for many reasons. First and foremost, I got to go into Olympiastadion this time. Nothing was going to keep me out this time. Second, this match was officially "competitive," as they say in the biz. At the Hannover-Arsenal match, only pride was at stake. The two teams were playing to prepare for their respective domestic seasons. Run a team out, give them a good workout, test out some different tactics, bring them back in. A win is always wonderful, but it isn't really something to boast about (though of course I do). This time, 3 points were at stake. This was the first match of 36 that Hertha Berlin would play in order to determine the winner of the Bundesliga championship. Wonderful! These teams would be chomping at the bit to kick off the season and make a statement. No one wants to look slack or weak on the first day of the season. This one would be a flier!

Two of my classmates and I headed toward the stadium at around 1:30 and the match started at 3:30. If it were up to me, I'dve been there at 1:30, but looking back on things, I didn't miss out. We took the UBahn, and it was quite a trek. That was completely alright by me. I felt like I was getting the best experience I could have by taking the UBahn. With about three stops left to go, the entire train was veritably full with Hertha BSC fans. Berlin songs were sung; anti-Hannover songs were sung. It was certainly a sight to behold. Everyone was decked out with blue and white from head to toe. I wore my Hertha jersey that I purchased a few days before. I think a few of my colleagues thought it was a bit overboard, but after getting on the train, I believe they were both a bit jealous.

Upon arrival, we saw blue and white everywhere. Not only shirts, but scarves, scarves, scarves. Tied on wrists, tied around waists, hanging from belts, scarves everywhere. Face paint, the whole deal. The stadium itself was absolutely incredible. 74,000 seats. I can't say that it's the largest stadium I've visited (Bryant-Denny = 91,000 and growing), but it was certainly gigantic.

Our seats were great. I purchased our tickets, and in the back of my mind I was worried about how good they would actually be, but I don't think there is a bad seat in the house. The crowd was a bit slim (around 45,000), but it certainly wasn't quiet. The Hannover fans sang their hearts out; the Ost-Kurve (Hertha fan central) jumped up and down, sang, chanted, played drums. I can honestly say that I've not seen anything like it before. There is nothing that compares in American sports. Or even comes close. The fans at soccer matches are incredible. If only American sports fans would sing. I think that would change things.

Anyhow, the game itself wasn't top notch stuff. You could see that both teams were still trying to get into a sync and knock off a bit of rust, but luckily, the match ended 1-0 to the home team. That makes now 3 professional soccer matches and 3 1-0 scorelines. I'd say that it might not be a goalfest, but it's better than 0-0. And while the game might not have been a barn-burner (I've now realized that this might be the most cliche-ridden post that I've produced yet), the atmosphere really made it something special. You could tell the fans were really rearing to go and ready to get the season underway. They were ready to see their team out there and challenging for the title again. With every new season comes new hopes and dreams, and you could really sense that on Saturday. I'm really glad that I went.

As for sports go in Germany, my schedule is officially empty. BUT! Two more prospects are on the horizon. First, the Track and Field World Championships are coming to Berlin next week. Some classmates and I are going to try desperately to get a hold of some tickets. 300,000 have already been sold. I really want to make it back to Olympiastadion for something competitive, but I also want to say, "Hey Usain Bolt! Let's race!" You can expect a blog entry about how I gave the fastest man on the planet all he could handle until he edged me out in the last 10M. Second, Berlin has 1. FC Union, a professional soccer team in the Bundesliga 2. I think that might be a completely different yet equally interesting experience.

Until tomorrow, I will leave you with this. Also, new pictures up. Take care:

Wörter des Tages:

Hertha Oma - Hertha Grandmother

Einmal Herthaner Immer Herthaner - Once a Hertha fan, Always a Hertha fan.

Bike ride

2009-08-07T15:29:00.004-05:00

Today was a pretty adventurous day here in Berlin. Like I said yesterday, I went on a bike tour of the city. It was specifically themed--the Berlin Wall. It was a really, really fascinating trip. I got a chance to see several different parts of the wall, see where it first came down, a complete section of the wall that still stands, and lots of other different things throughout the city that I haven't gotten to see yet. It was a great new way to see Berlin.

Some of the things that we saw were things I expected--parts of the wall. These parts were generally covered in graffiti with glass shards on top. A lot of this graffiti was really fascinating, with phrases like "It's colder in Siberia" (it was even in English). But there were many things, though, that I'd never heard of before. People climbing through apartments to escape to West Berlin, soldiers running to West Berlin, etc, etc. Some of you may be familiar with this picture of Conrad Schumann. We stood at this spot where this happened:

I know I've belabored this point here, but this bike ride showed me how much Berlin and Germany has changed over the past 60-70 years. It is unbelievable to think how drastically one city can change and how it can do it so quickly. And to think that pieces of the wall are still around. Not even just that, though. Small things that one wouldn't think about--flag poles and street lamps--still stand where they stood to light the Wall. Our tour guide would show us pictures of segments of the wall, and then I'd look up to see the same building, the same view without the Wall. It was really something else.

On a little bit of a lighter note, this trip made me remember how fun riding a bike was. I see everybody on bikes, and to be honest, it annoyed me a little. Not that everyone was on a bike, but because people on bikes ring their little bike bells at me. We've already talked about this a little bit, but it really bugs me. It is completely different when I have a bell at my disposal. I never used it for its official purpose, but I rang that bell like it was my job. It was a lot of fun. Also, it was some great exercise. Never did I think, "Man, I can't do this anymore," but there were certainly times that I thought about how hard that particular segment was. When I go to the gym, I generally use the bike for a good amount of the time. It is a good way to work out the legs, and I always thought it was pretty easy. By riding a real bike, you get to change the scenery once in a while. You don't always have to stare at the people on the elliptical machines.

Unfortunately, my camera's battery was dead when the trip started. I think I left it on overnight. Oops. Sorry, friends. No bike pictures today.

Big weekend--the Bundesliga season begins, and I'll be heading to the Olympiastadion tomorrow to watch Hertha Berlin play! Woo! Pictures to follow. Have a great weekend, and I'll be back on Monday.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

das Fahrrad -- bicycle

I'm on a boat and it's going fast and...

2009-08-06T14:57:00.004-05:00

I'm on top of the world, on a boat like Leo. If you're on the shore, then you sure ain't me-o.

Today I went on an Institute-scheduled program--a boat ride on the Spree River. The Spree runs through Berlin, and from it, you can see many of the famous sights around Berlin. I must say it was hot today. It definitely wasn't Kentucky hot or Alabama hot, but it certainly was warm. I didn't let a little hea

t and a little sun keep me from relaxing atop a tourist boat in the middle of Berlin.

When I say this ride was relaxing, I really mean it. The top of the boat wasn't too busy, so I had room to spread out a little bit. The soft hum of the boat motor mixed with the breeze made for an all around enjoyable atmosphere. After we floated past the Government Quarter, I nearly fell asleep. Not from boredom but from excess relaxing.

What I really enjoyed about this trip was that I could see some things that I had already visited from a different angle. I've included pictures from the Berliner Dom and Additionally, the Great Outdoors is something that I don't get to experience enough. I don't know if someone would count the middle of Berlin as the "Great Outdoors," but something about the boat made me think of the lake which in turn, made me think of Kentucky Lake and the forests, etc.

So in my mind, I was certainly in the "Great Outdoors."

These programs that the Goethe-Institut facilitated for us have been really great. Even though I've separated/lost from two of them, it has helped me see what Berlin has to offer. I don't know if I would have been able to see the same things had I not had the same type of program. Tomorrow, we're going on a bike tour of Berlin. That should be wonderful. Do you know why? I haven't ridden a bike for a substantial distance for probably 8 years. I signed a waiver saying that I know how to ride a bike. I probably should have signed a waiver saying that I used to be able to ride a bike and I'm pretty sure I can still ride one. I will definitely let you all know how that adventure goes. Additionally, the 3 day Berlin Beer Festival starts tomorrow. Prepare thyself. 300 breweries.

Sorry for the short length today. Take care, and I'll be back tomorrow.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

das Boot -- boat

Television will NOT rot your brain

2009-08-05T09:16:00.003-05:00

I want to give a warm welcome to Mrs. Rall's 4th grade class today. It is crazy to think that children are starting school already. Good luck with the year, 4th graders, and you better treat my mom nicely! If you are all on your best behavior, I'm sure my mom will let you all check out "Bluegrass in Berlin" frequently. So, be good!

So, television has been a pretty instrumental tool in helping me learn German since I've been here. At home, I watch television a fair enough. I have my standard shows and channels, and I will watch them for entertainment. I catch the news fairly regularly, and it keeps me informed. Generally, though, I never feel super productive after I watch tv. It is completely different here. I almost feel exhausted after watching television. I don't get a chance to sit down and flip it on too often, but when I do, it is a brain workout.

When I first moved in, I thought I only had about 4 channels, and those 4 channels repeated themselves. But one day, I got adventurous and kept flipping to find that I've got about 50 channels. All kinds of basic ABC/NBC type channels, a couple of music channels, some sports, a few American channels, the BBC, and some shopping channels. I really have an opportunity to watch whatever you can imagine.

First, Germans appear to love wildlife shows. That was about all that I watched when I first moved in, and it is nearly all you can find in the middle of the afternoon. For example, right now there's a documentary on about giraffes. Yesterday, there was something about alligators. It is really impressive. Second, Germans have their fair share of Asian documentaries. For a good two weeks, I'd come home and flip between an animal special and something about India or China. This can be particularly helpful with some specialized vocabulary. I can learn how to say different animal names in German, etc, etc. Ultimately, it is just entertaining to watch these shows.

I find that the most helpful is the German game show. Shows like the German "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" really help me. There's another show where contestants can win 1 ton of Euro (for you 4th graders, that's the money they use in Germany). They use the coins, so it might not be as much as you imagine. As far as which coin, I don't really know. What is most helpful about these shows is that they will show the question down at the bottom of the screen and read it at the same time. So I can have the text and hear the pronunciation. It might sound kind of basic, but it really is a good learning tool.

I think most of all, it helps me train my ear. Generally, these hosts have good enunciation and lack any kind of regional accent (which can make German pretty difficult to understand). I might not understand everything that they say, but I can tell you what words they say. A few weeks ago, I saw a special on the Free Masons. I'm certain that I don't know any more about the Free Masons than I did before I saw this show, but I'm positive that it helped my hear. I'm finding it easier and easier to recognize German words when I hear them. Less and less do I ask, "Wie, bitte?" or "Huh?"

So, the lesson for today--watch television. When learning a foreign language, television will not suck your brain out. While you might not understand the words, you can help yourself by hearing the language. But when you've got homework to do for your 4th grade teacher, you better turn the television off!

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

das Fernsehen -- television

Wittenberg

2009-08-04T15:59:00.003-05:00

Happy Tuesday,

It's about 11pm here in Deutschland. I closed my computer and cracked open Harry Potter und der Stein der Wiesen to read before heading to sleep and realized that I nearly forgot to blog. Close call, I must say.

On Saturday, some classmates and I made a trip to Wittenberg. This small city is just about an hour and a half away from Berlin, and it made for a good day trip. Why Wittenberg, you might ask. Well, Wittenberg saw lots of action in the 1500s. Most notably, it was home to Martin Luther. It was where he lived, he preached, and he allegedly nailed up the 95 Theses which many interpret as the catalyst for the Protestant Reformation. Big deal, if you ask me. It was a place that I wanted to see because it was close to Berlin, and it has some pretty serious history. One of my classmates had asked if I wanted to go with him, and so we got together a group and made a Saturday out of it.

I don't know if it was because it was Saturday, but Wittenberg was the sleepiest town I've ever visited. We strolled up and down the streets of the Old City, and it was very, very quiet. There were people mulling around, but really nothing too significant. I got the impression that Wittenberg was a small town, but I didn't realize that it was that small. It wasn't a creepy kind of quiet or a destitute kind of quiet because there were still tourists and visitors around the streets--they were even holding the annual Wittenberg wine festival. It was more of a peaceful quiet. It was very enjoyable.

While in Wittenberg, we visited Luther's house, the Stadtkirche where he preached and the Schlosskirche where he nailed up the Theses. I could go off on another "Holy crap, history!" tangent, but I think you all can predict some of my feelings. To think what occurred there 500 years ago is remarkable. The Protestant Reformation!? On my list of Most Important People in History, Martin Luther is easily in the top three; no questions asked. I can now say that I've walked where he walked, I've seen things he saw (probably mostly in the museum) and been places he's been is exciting to me. I even saw his grave. Whoa.

I've thought about this a couple of times since I've been here in Germany, most notably while I was at Sachsenhausen. It's strange to think that people actually still live in these places. People call Wittenberg home, just as people call the district (in which the camp resides) Sachsenhausen home. These people confront influential and infamous history daily. Maybe it becomes old hat after growing up in Wittenberg or Sachsenhausen, but I just can't imagine how it could, especially with such strong opinions surrounding these events. How does history like this affect its citizens? Is it completely inescapable? Monotonous?

I know how I feel about my home. I love Kentucky, it is an incredibly magical wonderland from which comes all things that are good. My city, though, is reasonably neutral when it comes to history. How does the history of a town affect someone's pride or relationship with that town or city? Or for example Paducah. I grew up in Paducah, and I really like Paducah a lot. It is a great city, I had a wonderful childhood there, and I have wonderful memories of Paducah. I feel like I have a particularly positive relationship with Paducah shaped by my history with Paducah. While certainly Paducah has its own history, it hasn't made the impact that places like Wittenberg and Sachsenhausen have. How do these history of these places shape relationships that citizens have with their towns or how they conceive and remember their towns? Of course each person has their own personal memories, but how those personal histories affected by the broader history of the town?

I don't even know if any of this makes sense, but visiting places and thinking, "People actually still live here," really gets me wondering. This is something else that I would look into if I were a sociologist. How is personal history and memory affected by the history of the town in which they live? I'm sure it depends, but it is certainly something that I find intriguing.

Good night, one and all. Check out the pictures from Wittenberg at the photo blog. Enjoy.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

die Erinnerung -- memory

How's zee Deutsch coming?

2009-08-03T10:44:00.002-05:00

Hello amigos,

First briefly, I snuck in some more pictures HERE over the weekend. I've posted a few more shots from the Arsenal match. Also exciting news--I've got two more photo albums to upload later this week. One from my trip to the Jewish Museum here in Berlin, and another from my trip to Wittenberg on Saturday. Keep your eyes pealed.

Since essentially my goal over here is to learn German, some of you might be asking yourselves, "How's the German coming, Will?" Good question, friends and family. It is coming along wonderfully. Now that I'm (just over) half way finished, I can notice a marked improvement in my German already. Speech is coming more naturally, my vocabulary is growing, and I can read a lot quicker than I could before.

There are a few things that I'm noticing, though, about how I speak German. When I think about things to say in German, I notice that I first think about them in English. When I have the English in my head, I then translate it and say it. Of course this can be helpful when one is just starting. To say simple things like "I would like a beer," you use Ich (I), möchte (conjugated form of the verb 'would like') and ein Bier (a beer). Simple as that. For the majority of things, I thought, "Huh, I can just translate the English phrase directly into German, and that works just fine." Increasingly I'm finding that that not only isn't the case, but it also upsets an entire language.

Take this for example. When we understand something, in English we say "It makes sense." To directly translate in German, you would say "Es macht Sinn," es (a pronoun), macht (conjugated form of the verb 'to make') and Sinn (sense). In German, though, that's not correct. Germans say "Es hat Sinn," or directly translated "it has sense." Same for "You are right." In German, they don't use the infinitive "to be" verb, they say "Du hat Recht," and "du bist richtig" (you are right) isn't correct. Do you follow?

One thing that Ulle complained to me about on the train was that all of the English sentence constructions are starting to flood into German--"Es macht Sinn" instead of "Es hat Sinn." While these might be small things, he seemed to be concerned about the overall integrity of the German language. The same goes with prepositions. Prepositions are one of the toughest things for me to understand in German because it is so different than in English. The preposition "nach" can mean so many different things. Primarily when I hear "nach," I think of the English word "after." But when you say "Ich gehe nach Hause," you are saying "I am going home." Additionally, the preposition "zu" generally means "to." But when you say "Ich bin zu Hause," you're saying, "I'm at home." Bah.

I've said all of that to say this--German is hard. There's no getting around it. I am getting much better. I'm beginning to be more and more comfortable with prepositions, with turns of phrases, and with German constructions. I am more confident because my vocabulary is increasing, and I can tell that I'm learning a lot. The immersion aspect of this all is really driving all of this home because I have to use German to get around and, in most cases, to entertain myself.

Recently, I've begun reading Harry Potter in German. Actually, I first started with Franz Kafka. I stopped because I didn't have a good enough grasp as to what was going on, but I was surprised because it wasn't due to the sentence structure like in the past. Now, it was because of my limited vocabulary. It is encouraging, but I felt like I could be doing something more constructive with my reading time. So, I picked up a copy of Harry Potter for two reasons. One, the reading level is relatively low. Two, I am familiar with the story. So when I'm not familiar with words that I come across, I can use context clues and my knowledge of Harry Potter to learn new words. It's like a game. I get to learn normal words like "to survive" and "to complain" in German (überleben and beklagen, respectively), and bizarre (seltsam) words like goblin (Kobold). I know some of you out there are Harry Potter haters (I'm looking at you, Sarah), just rest assured that it is serving me well, not only to entertain, but also to teach.

Happy Monday, one and all. Bis Morgen!

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

der Unterricht -- education

One Nil Part 2

2009-07-31T14:39:00.003-05:00

As promised---part two of my epic trip to Hannover and back.

So the match ended, and I stayed around briefly to see what happened. The team came over, saluted the fans, that that was it. I think Hannover held some special recognition of a retiring player, but I didn't stick around to see it. Instead, I made the trek back to the train station. A sea of Hannover fans transporting the isolated Arsenal fans. I can't say that I felt in danger, but I've never been a visiting fan before. I've never been to a sporting event alone. And I've never been to a European football match. I've heard horror stories from (recent) history of visiting fans getting knifed. I thought though, "This was a friendly match. It didn't matter. Nothing could go wrong." I was right. Nothing went wrong.

I got to the train station in plenty of time. My train didn't leave until 10:30, and I got to the station at about 9:15. I thought about asking if I could catch the 9:30 train and get back to Berlin an hour early, but instead, I grabbed a bratwurst, a Fanta, and took a seat. I needed to take it easy.

Not asking if I could take the early train back was probably one of the best decisions I made all night long. I sat on the track just killing time, watching all of the Hannover fans walk by with beers in hand. I saw the occasional Arsenal fan, but it was always from afar. But one group of Arsenal fans happened to walk my way. There were about 6 or 7 of them, drinking, and having a good time. They saw my jersey and one of them came and sat next to me. Before they spoke, I would have thought they were English. They didn't look particularly English, but they were all wearing Arsenal gear that you couldn't get in Germany. One had an Arsenal double shirt that looked retro--not trendy retro, but retro because when he bought it, I'm sure it was in style. We all started to chat. They asked where I was from, and I said Kentucky. After, I endured several jokes like "What is there to do in Kentucky," etc, etc, and something about inappropriate relations with horses. I'dve ignored them had I thought they were serious, but this was guy joking, the type Mr. Wigginton endured perhaps beyond his tolerance from time to time. I understood how it went. Rib the Kentucky guy, laugh about it, and then hang out. That's exactly how it went.

I then started talking with Ulle. Ulle was apart of this English/German Arsenal group, and he found it absolutely fascinating that I was from Kentucky, studied in Alabama, and am now in Berlin learning German so that I can teach German history in the United States. He said to me, "I didn't think Americans really cared about anything other than America." A bit exaggerated, I'm sure, but I can see his point. He invited me to sit with him and his group on the train, if I obliged, or I could just sit and sleep, he said. I had no plans to do such a thing.

We boarded the train, and I didn't sit among the group, but I sat a row behind them. I didn't want to disrupt any sort of balance, but I was close enough so that I could still engage them. I sat down, looked up, and to my surprise I saw the father and son from the train to Hannover. What a small world! They seemed excited to see me. Otto, the father, and Pascal, the son, sat in the two seats next to me. As the train took off, I could tell this trip was going to be interesting.

Otto, Pascal, and I talked about the match. We talked about our favorite players, and what the thought of the recent departure of Emmanual Adebayor (I think I like the idea of Adebayor more than I actually like the player. Good luck at Man City. That project is a financial disaster waiting to happen, in my opinion.). Pascal, 10, asked me if I lived in Berlin. I said that I didn't, that I was actually from America, and that my German was bad. They'd have to be patient. Both Pascal and Otto said they could understand me perfectly. That didn't seem to be the problem. I had a hard time understanding them. I think about this often, and very frequently humbled by it--I like to think that I am better than 10 year-olds at most things. I am certainly not better than German 10 year-olds at speaking German. Regardless, it was fun talking with them. I had a tougher time understand Otto because first, he had a low voice, and second, he spoke with a very strong Berlin accent. Nonetheless, I could catch enough to carry on a conversation.

I'd hear occasional shouts from the gang a row in front of me (none of which is fit for reproduction on this blog. I run a family outfit, here). Pascal thought the language was hilarious. From time to time, one of the guys would say something about a kid being around, but no one seemed to care. Comments like that would only cause a curse-ridden rant about Hannah Montana. One time, there was something about where the Kentucky boy was. I let them know I was still around.

Then Ulle came back to talk to me. Again, he was fascinated with the Kentucky-born who was learning German in Berlin. He asked me about the institute where I was learning and about the programs I was attending. I told him about the walks around Berlin, the museums, and the other things we were doing. He didn't seem too impressed with the trips to museums and the "culture program" that the Goethe Institute planned. I could see the point he made. He told me about how one learns about people and "culture" by doing things like I was doing: going to football matches and interacting with the people. He said that one of his friends in the group, who evidently had the best German of the lot, learned the language not from class but from bars. I'm sure that might be true, but I don't have that kind of time. Or money.

Ulle made a good point. I'm very interested in learning the German people better. I think it is very important to understand the people that I study and the opinions that I have, and that's not something I can learn in the museums. To learn about the people, I need to interact with them directly. But at the same time, it is difficult to understand where the people come from without understanding their history. The reason Berliners have opinions about particular things or think a certain way is because they have experienced things that shaped their opinions. They have lived through (on occasion very infamous) events that have caused them to feel a particular way. I think it is important to understand these events so that one has a foundation from which to understand the people. In my opinion, it is better to work from general to specific. Start with the museums and work to the people.

I'm not going to miss out on anything that Berlin has to offer. The museums, the landmarks, the memorials, and the buildings are so important because they all tell stories about the events that happened. It shows how alive the history still is in Berlin, and how close the citizens of Berlin live to it every day. But something I haven't gotten the same chance to do is understand the individual stories of the people. That takes a particular boldness. Talking to these guys was pretty simple, and I'm not so sure that talking to other Germans will come as easily. But why not? A conversation is a conversation, whether it is with perfect German or shabby German. And it could be a really great experience. After talking with Ulle, he has encouraged me to be a little more outgoing when out at bars or restaurants. Who knows what I'll learn.

Unfortunately, the train arrived in Berlin. I said my goodbyes. Pascal asked me if I was going back to an apartment by myself, and I reluctantly said that I was. He said that I should come back home with him and his father. What a nice kid!? I declined the invitation, but said I'd take him up next time. He and his father said that they looked forward to running into me again. As for the other group, one more rendition of "One Nil to the Arsenal" rang out, I shook a couple more hands, and then went my own way with Walter--who introduced himself to me as "Monsieur Beckham." I got on a bus, realized that I had taken it the wrong way after it dropped me off in Middle of Nowhere, Berlin. It was 1:30 am, so I hailed a cab, got in, and finally made it back to Breitenbach Platz.

The night was unforgettable. I got to see my most favorite sports team win. I got to see my favorite player--Gael Clichy, Robin van Persie, Cesc Fabregas, etc, etc,--and I sang with the fans. Maybe more importantly, I met some really fascinating people. Bound by our sports team, we had meaningful conversation and fostered, however short-lived, friendship. If you're out there somewhere: Ulle, Pascal, and Otto, thanks for a great night.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

die Freundschaft -- friendship

One Nil to the Arsenal!

2009-07-30T14:52:00.007-05:00

I went there. I did that. I got the T-Shirt. Well, I got a scarf. There were no Arsenal T-Shirts.

Today--a no holds barred, all out Arsenal extravaganza on "Bluegrass Meets Berlin." Ladies and Gentlemen of the blog world, I saw Arsenal yesterday, and it was wonderful. It was really an exciting time. I had a few reservations before I went because I was going alone, but it was a really great time. I saw some good football, I sang, I met some interesting characters, I drank some decent beer, and all around it was a great time.

The most difficult part of it all was Berlin, both leaving and arriving. Berlin is currently having issues with its SBahn (the intra-city train system that isn't underground) network. Apparently they do not have an SBahn director so the administration has instituted some (obnoxious) emergency system that limits the SBahn network. What does that mean for me? That I almost missed my train to Hannover. Not only is the SBahn map truncated, but also it is increasingly unreliable. I sat on the train for 20 minutes before it left. Luckily I made it to the train and headed to Hannover.

Upon arriving in the Berlin Hauptbahnhof, I saw a father and son pair in Arsenal attire. I thought, "Alright! More Arsenal fans!" But we sat in different parts of the train and didn't get a chance to talk a whole lot. Do not forget these characters; they will return. It was good to see parts of Germany that weren't Berlin. And rural Germany looks surprisingly similar to Kentucky. Some flat plains, hay bales and cows. Add the occasional flock of sheep to a Kentucky landscape, and you've got Germany.

We're going to fast-forward to the AWD Arena where the match was held. It was a really nice stadium, one that had been renovated for the 2006 World Cup. It held approximately 45,000 people, and around 30,000 attended the match last night. A pretty good crowd for a friendly match, I'd say. The atmosphere was really great, and I didn't feel unsafe once. On two occasions I was heckled. The first was by a guy with a group of Hannover fans. As I walked by, me muttered, "Verlierer!" That means loser. The second was by two young boys behind a fence. They yelled at me, "Scheiße Arsenal! Scheiße Arsenal!" I'll let you translate that one on your own.

I got settled in my seat with a bratwurst and a Coke (the beers to come later), and got a chance to see the Gunners warm up. Before anyone else came out, I saw Tomas Rosicky, Abu Diaby, and Gael Clichy jogging around the pitch. Tomas Rosicky! Gael Clichy! Abu Diaby! Holy crap! Then, the rest of the team came out.

By rest of the team, I mean the Arsenal. Cesc Fabregas. Nik Bendtner. William Gallas. Andre Arshavin. And Robin van Persie. Robin FREAKIN' van Persie! (FYI--Robin van Persie is my favorite Arsenal player. I'm seriously considering naming my future dog Robin van Persie. I'd call him Rob for short. Not bad, eh?) Yea, they were just warming up, but whoa...Arsenal was right in front of me. I felt like a kid at Christmas. There were some small, British children next to me that kept yelling at the players whenever they'd turn our way. "FABREGAS!!" "VAN PERSIE!!" "ARSHAVIN!!" Deep down, I really wanted to yell with them. But I just took pictures instead. (Note about pictures--Security would not allow me to take my big camera in. They said it was "professional photography." Luckily, I had my smaller camera, but I didn't charge it. The battery barely lasted the whole night.)

The match started quickly. Cesc Fabrgas, Arsenal's captain, started his first match of the pre-season and did so by scoring a goal in the 9th minute. The assist? Robin van Persie, of course. It was a nicely worked goal. That would be the only goal of the match. I could give you a play-by-play of the action, but I'll just direct you here for a slightly biased, and probably much better written match report. The actual details of the match are less important, in my opinion, than what I actually experienced.

The atmosphere was really great, and I think the crowd is one reason why football is so great. The fans don't just cheer. Loudspeakers don't blast songs like "The Addams Family Theme" or "Louie, Louie." Certainly those songs have their place, but not here. The fans make all the music. There is your occasional chant, e.g. ROB-IN VAN PERSIE *clap, clap, clap, clap, clap* But the songs are really great. There's "We will follow the Arsenal over the land and sea! We will follow the Arsenal onto victory!" There's "And it's Arsenal, Arsenal FC! We're by far the greatest team the world has ever seen." Particularly appropriate for last night, there's "One-nil to the Arsenal!" And to the same tune, "Stand up for the Arsenal":

It was fun, it was good, old-fashioned fun. It was the most public thing that I've ever done alone. I went to the movie theater once alone, but I turned out to be the only person in the theater (I had to see The Namesake for class. I went in the middle of the afternoon on a Monday after the movie had already been out for about a month). Like I said, I had reservations about going for myself, but it really didn't matter. I sat in the Arsenal block, and everyone was there to see their team. They were there not just for the individual reasons of seeing Arsenal, but to cheer on their team with others. I experienced something communal, even though I was alone. There was an unspoken camaraderie between one another because of this bond the team created. People of all ages were interacting in this community. I'd make comments with some adults who sat in front of me about a missed through ball or a great save, and I'd laugh with the small British children next to me. Everybody was there for a cause: to see their team win. And they did. Wonderful!

The final score, 1-0. Joy was had by all. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. You might be asking youself now, "But Will, how did you get home?" Well, that is an experience that deserves an entire day of its own. So in order to find out how I got home, you'll have to tune in tomorrow for part two of "Will Sees Arsenal in Germany." Come back tomorrow to learn all about Ulle and his group of drunk English-Germans as well as Otto and his son Pascal.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

der Fußball -- soccer

German-American Volksfest

2009-07-28T14:52:00.003-05:00

Yes, Americans. You've read this correctly. Last Friday, Berlin kicked off the German-American Volksfest. It is a three-week extravaganza that celebrates both American and German culture and life.

First, I must say that I'm a little disappointed in this year's theme--"A Pacific Wonderland," an emphasis on Washington and Oregon. Washington and Oregon?! Are you kidding? I have nothing against Washington and Oregon, I'm sure they're lovely places. I hear they are very green (both literally and in the conservation sense), but if you really want to celebrate American culture, can we at least try something other than Washington and Oregon? Of course I'm biased and think that the best part of America starts with a "K" and ends with "entucky," but aside from Starbuck's, what else has Washington or Oregon given to the United States?

Second, listen to these incredible days. Every Monday is "Cowboys and Indians Day." Oh yes. What does that mean? It means that you get in free if you dress like a cowboy or an Indian. Additionally, you could win a prize for being dressed as the best cowboy/Indian for the day. Ask me which day I want to attend, and I'll say Monday. What says America like cowboys and Indians? I'll tell you--Tuesdays. Tuesdays are Biker Days. I'm not really certain what that actually means, but it's bound to be loud whatever it is. Wednesdays are Family Days. And finally, it wouldn't be an American event if there wasn't some sort of shout out to the ladies. I'm sure that's why every Friday is Ladies' Day. Reduced price for you, ladies.

Other events for the Volksfest include hamburger and hot dog eating contests. I've never seen a real life eating contest. The Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest is a staple of Independence Day celebration, so I'd say that I'm well versed professional eating, but I've never seen an event live before. Hopefully, this will be my chance. One has the chance to be crowned Mr. or Ms. German-American Volksfest. I would like to see how the Germans conduct a beauty contest. I hope they've replaced the swimsuit portion with Lederhosen and ditched the talent for Wurst eating. Lastly, every day festival-goers have the chance to enjoy "American B-i-n-g-o." The website boasts, "lots of fun + valuable prizes." Whoa! I must know, though. Are there other types of bingo? What is German bingo like?

What a wonderful celebration!? I don't know what portion of this is the "German" portion, because frankly it sounds completely American to me. I really would like to go to see how some of these cultural conceptions might play out. Cowboy and Indian day? Really? But to be honest, it sounds like a pretty accurate American fair. I expect funnel cake.

Interested? Please, check out the website:

http://www.deutsch-amerikanisches-volksfest.de/e-start.htm

Two completely unrelated things:

1. Quentin Tarantino, et. al. are in Berlin tonight for the premiere of "Inglourious Basterds."

2. Chances are I won't be blogging tomorrow. I'm not going to completely rule it out, but I'll probably be hanging out with Robin van Persie and Cesc Fabregas until the wee hours of the morning. Don't worry though, I'll be back on Thursday to tell you all about Hannover 96 v. ARSENAL!

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

die Heimat -- homeland

Whoa...

2009-07-27T18:41:00.002-05:00

So I know this must be the most obvious statement of all statement, but geez, I'm living in Berlin, Germany. Berlin?! In Germany!? Holy crap.

This first dawned on me the other day when I bought paper towels. I know it is a small thing to buy paper towels, but it had a deeper meaning. I bought paper towels because I needed to clean things, I needed napkins, and I needed to kill bugs. If I was vacationing in Berlin or touring Germany, I wouldn't buy paper towels. It signifies a more permanent stay in Berlin and means that I'm doing things that are a little more long-term. Napkins mean I'm cooking means (in the most primitive sense in these case). And cleaning means that I'm invested in the condition of my quarters for more than a week.

Additionally, I did laundry over the weekend. Not much, but still, I did laundry. This was the first time I've done laundry outside of the country. I've done laundry in Murray and Danville, KY and Tuscaloosa, AL. That's all. Those are also the places that I've lived. Now add Berlin, Germany to the list. I've never done these sorts of things outside the country before.

I don't really know what I think about all of this so far. About actually living in another country. I do think that there is so much more to process than I can understand in eight weeks. Especially in Berlin. Berlin is so much more cosmopolitan than any other city that I've ever lived in (or perhaps will ever live in). There are so many different facets to understand and explore, that I feel like I haven't even begun to scratch the surface. I got some good cultural exposure by visiting the jazz club, and I've seen a good deal of the city, but I still don't think I'm anywhere to experiencing what Berlin really is. That might be something that's too far removed from me because I'm not from Germany and not a Berliner.

Since I'm still experiencing things, seeing Berlin, and processing Germany, I don't know how completely I can reflect on what it is to live outside the country. There certainly are differences, on the whole. I'm not convinced that I've got the German equivalent of tipping one's waiter/tress down. I think there is still a sense of overload and overwhelmingness (a word?). The realization that I'm living in another country has fully set in, brought on by completely normal, everyday actions of grocery shopping and laundry washing. And while these every day actions can help me realize such an obvious fact, I think that realization will be one of my most difficult to examine personally. What is it like to live in a different country? How is it different?

These questions might be better answered when I can look back on it all and understand it as a whole, or perhaps as a process. You can be sure that this discussion will continue.

But geez. I'm in Berlin. Whoa...

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

die Realisierung -- realization

Badenscher Hof

2009-07-25T16:17:00.003-05:00

Hello one and all,

Sorry for last night, but now the details. I don't want to be cliche, but I'm going to be. I dug it. That's really the only way to describe last night. It was a lot of fun. Good food, good drinks, good company, and good music. The venue turned out to be great. I was absolutely clueless about the place that I had picked. It could've been a dump. It could have had crummy music. It could have been completely wrong, but it wasn't. The whole place was reasonably small, but it created a nice atmosphere. The room where the band played had space for about 5 tables, and pictures of artists lined the walls. All in all, it was a nice, small environment that cried out for some smooth, smooth jazz.

The band was good. They weren't great by any means, but they were good. To be honest, the "front man," if you will, was probably the weakest part. I was less than impressed with his tenor sax playing. I would have been completely satisfied had he not been there. I could listen to a piano solo over a drum and bass vamp all night long. The pianist wasn't out of this world but got better as the night went on. The drummer and the bassist were great. There were times in the night when I wished I didn't know anything about music because then I wouldn't have thought things like "Eh, he could have done more with those dynamics," or "Maybe that didn't fit so well," but if I didn't know anything about music then I wouldn't be in a jazz club in the first place. Ultimately, it was a really relaxing evening.

For the second to last number, the sax player invited to gentlemen up to play. I noticed them sitting in the crowd earlier because they were both really into the music. A few "woo's" and "yea's" and some major head nodding. Turns out, they were musicians from America--one from Detroit, MI and the other from Savannah, GA. The Savannah man played drums and was decent (I preferred the German drummer). The Detroit man played sax and was much, much better than his German counterpart. I have posted some PICTURES of the night, and it is interesting to look at the difference in the two players. You can really get a sense of it because I had to use a longer shutter to take these pictures. A brief photography aside--I hate using a flash. Because it was dark, I used a longer shutter on my camera. The long shutter, as you might guess, keeps the shutter open longer than usual and allows more light to enter. But because it is open longer than usual, it doesn't capture a single instance, but rather a second or two. This can make things blurry, or create a neat affect. The UBahn photograph in the post below is a photo I took using the long shutter, as are all of the jazz photos. So, check out the photos and compare the motion of the two artists.

All in all, it was a successful night. My classmates had a fun time as did I. I was a little worried because I wanted to go to a club, and I felt like it was my job to provide good entertainment for not only me, but also my classmates who wanted to come along. I believe it was a great success. I also love the universality of music. This is now my second jazz club that I've visited outside the United States (the other--Vietnam). People from all different cultures and all different countries can appreciate what message music has to offer. Whether it be jazz, classical, rock, rap, etc, etc, etc, it brings people together. Our group consisted of 2 Americans, 1 Canadian, a Slovenian, and a Swiss. No telling where the rest of the audience resided (or maybe they were all Germans, who knows). I felt comfortable listening to the jazz, and I could sit back, drink my beer, and enjoy the music with others from all over the world. I think that's one thing that makes music so attractive. It can speak to everyone.

I'll sign off before I start rambling. In short--German jazz club, thumbs up. America might export things like McDonald's and professional wrestling, but it also exports jazz. And that is quite alright by me.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

der Jazz -- jazz

Busy day

2009-07-24T18:24:00.003-05:00

Okay blog nation,

Super busy day.

I've been out with some classmates of mine all afternoon, and afterward we met up with some more people at a jazz club called Badenscher Hof. It was really great.

I would absolutely love to tell you everything about it, and I will, but it is 1:30am Berlin time. I'm tired, and I feel like I would do tonight an injustice if I tried to talk about it all. So I make this promise--I will blog tomorrow.

Apologies for the hectic nature of this week. We will get back on board next week. Have a wonderful evening in America, and I will talk with you all soon.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

belebt -- busy

UBahn

2009-07-23T07:59:00.003-05:00

Amigos,

I apologize. I didn't write yesterday. I had absolutely nothing to write about, so I took a day break. I know, I'm sorry. I apologize to you all. I thought that I would not write anything rather than write garbage. Though today, the wheels are churning. I'm getting this one in so that I can leave the door open for possibly another entry later this afternoon. Who knows. We will see.

One thing that I really like about Berlin is the Ubahn, or the subway. I have always liked public transportation. It makes so much sense to me. It is relatively cheap, cuts down on emissions, and can be a wonderful experience. I don't every have to pay for gas because I can hop on the Ubahn and head to class. While I've only substantially experienced one other public transportation system, I absolutely love the idea. This is the first time that I've gotten to live in a place where I can use it for longer than a week, so I'm really starting to learn the ins and outs of the Berlin Ubahn.

I'm beginning to learn more and more about the stops. I start everyday at Breitenbachplatz. But that's the only important thing to understand. There are three different exits at Breitenbachplatz. When I first arrived at Breitenbachplatz, I had no idea where to go, so I just went up the first set of stairs I found. Wrong. I had to cross two roads and walk through a little garden before I made it to Binger Strasse, where I live. The second exit in the middle isn't so bad. I've still got to cross a couple streets, but it isn't so bad. There's also a food stand in front of it in case I'm hungry. The best exit is the third. I only have to cross one street, and the entrance is located conveniently next to a crosswalk. Perfect. I'm not so sure about the exits for many of the stops I find, but I think it's coming easier and easier.

My familiarity with the entire system is growing daily. For my commute, I begin on line U3 toward Nollendorferplatz, transfer to U7 toward Rathaus Spandau at Fehrbellinerplatz until I finally arrive at Wilhelmsdorferplatz. The U3 is a bit tangential. It doesn't really serve much of Berlin. The U7 is nice--you can take it to Olympiastadion, to Potsdamer Platz if you want to see a movie, Alexanderplatz for all kinds of different things, Stadtmitte for museums,etc, etc. I also use the U9 pretty often, too (transfer at Spichnern Strasse). From here you can access the shopping Mecca of Kurfurstendamm as well as the Zoo at Zoologischer Garten.

I think, though, what I love most about it all is the people watching. You can get a really good sense of the Berliners by seeing who all gets on the Ubahn, because nearly everyone uses the system. I like seeing what people read, what they wear, how they handle their cell phone, what they're talking about (if I can understand), how aggressively people make out (yes...yuck). In another life, I'd be a sociologist and study human behavior on public transportation. It is probably the most substantial time I will spend with real Germans, and it is interesting to watch them in their natural habitat. I like to think about where people might be going, what jobs they have (or don't have), and what kind of plans they might have. I think how people act on subways can be a really revealing part of a culture. Berliners do not like to talk to one another on the train. They sit with their headphones, newspapers, or nothing and just stare off.

I did see one really great interaction once that completely defied my understanding of the Berlin Ubahn behavior. A woman was standing next to the door when the train stopped. She could see an older man approaching the door to leave, and she pushed the button on the door to open it for him. He was so thankful that she had opened it for him. It was almost as though he was shocked that someone would be generous enough to push the button for him. He reacted like someone had just given him a million dollars. Afterward he left, but after only a couple of steps, he turned around to thank her again. He took what looked like a rolled poster out of his bag and tried to give it to her. She wouldn't take it, but it was the most interaction I have seen between two strangers on the Ubahn yet. It was fun to watch.

While the system seems complex, the simplicity of it all is wonderful. I get on. I sit. I get off. Simple as that. Sometimes it takes a little bit of time, but really, who is complaining? I don't have to drive? I don't have to sit in traffic. Sometimes I have to stand up, but so long as I can lean against a pole or a wall, I'm golden. This is also an important thing because you don't want to be the guy who gets thrown around the car when the train stops and starts. That looks so rural.

Have a good one, and you might hear from me later!

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

die Bequemlichkeit -- convenience

Theme-less

2009-07-21T14:32:00.005-05:00

I don't really have one central theme of today's blog. There's a lot going on in Germany right now, so I thought I'd take time to share several of these things with you. A smorgasbord of German happenings in an easy-to-digest format. One might say this is my version of a Life of Brian regular fixture, Tuesday Tidbits:

We have a new teacher in my class. She will be with us for four weeks because our former teacher has gone on a vacation with her family and must also attend some conference. Martina, our first teacher, was great. She was fun, she was easy to understand, and she was interesting. I will describe our new teacher as very German. She seems to be very knowledgeable and has a very good command of what she is teaching. I think she might just be a little uncomfortable, and I look forward to see how well she teaches after she relaxes a bit. I hope she relaxes a bit.

Big day yesterday. I went out to a bar with a couple of my classmates and returned to my house at around 11pm. I went up to the door, put my key in, and I heard from behind me, "Hallo?" I turned around, and guess who it was. Nikolas! My host! For at least the past three weeks, Nikolas has been vacationing in Italy, and he returned last night. He seems like a very nice man. I have only spoken with him a couple of times, but I think he will be a good host. I think he is still trying to get settled in from his trip because he has only been doing laundry today. He has also been watering his front garden. I know this because he told me that while he was working outside, he could see that I had left my television on and went into my room to turn it off. Thank you, Nikolas.

I purchased my train tickets for the Hannover 96 -- Arsenal match today. I arrive in Hannover at 16:30, and I can pick up my tickets from the visitors' counter at 17:00. I can't wait. I also have Hertha Berlin tickets on the way. Two class mates and I will ring in the new Bundesliga season on August 8 at Olympiastadion.

I believe that I found a cafe today. It might be about 0.8km from my house, which is not a terrible walk at all. I had a nice cappuccino this afternoon and did a little more reading for my class next semester. I will definitely return. The drink was delicious, the baked goods looked great, and the staff was patient. The woman who initially waited on me told me to go sit down after I ordered. I hadn't paid yet, so I hung around a bit to see if that's what she really meant for me to do. After she told me again, and then waved me away, I got the hint.

For my class, we are strongly encouraged to give a presentation. It is a short 10 minute presentation about whatever we would like to talk about. We can sign up any time and go whenever we want to (if we want to), but it all must be in German. I am having a difficult time thinking of something to present. It really can be about anything. I thought about going back to the well and talking about some of my research regarding National Socialism, welfare, and poverty, but I'm not so sure if this is the right audience for something like that. So, I am officially open to suggestions. You can leave suggestions under comments, or you can email them to me directly. I will report back after I weigh my options. Get to thinking, blog nation.

Lastly, I'd like to thank you all for the comments that I've gotten. It is really great to hear from you all, and I hope you have enjoyed everything so far. Keep the comments coming. It's simple and easy, and I like your feedback. I miss you all.

NEW PICTURES UPLOADED

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

durcheinander -- mixed up

Sachsenhausen

2009-07-20T17:53:00.002-05:00

Good Monday, blog nation:

It is a little late, both Germany time and America time. I apologize. I nearly forgot to blog today, but luckily for you, it did not completely slip my mind.

Yesterday, I visited Sachsenhausen concentration camp just outside of Berlin. I think I'm still processing with I saw there and what I experienced. I didn't really know what to expect or how to prepare myself to visit such a notorious place. While I'm sure that Sachsenhausen itself doesn't stir any specific emotional responses, concentration camps certainly do. Being such an infamous historical topic, I guess I expected the worst. I recall that the Holocaust Museum had lots of pictures of emaciated victims in horrible situations. Images of stacked bodies could be seen at nearly every exhibit, and the brutality almost seemed to be a key theme for the museum. I guess that I expected more of the same. I thought to myself, "This will be an experience more intense than that of the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C."

It wasn't that at all. It certainly was shocking to walk where the victims walked, to see what the victims saw, and to be where they were. It was moving to stand inside the barracks where they slept and startling to see the places where they were murdered. Each different building had placard after placard describing different situations or experiences or events that occurred at Sachsenhausen. And while of course the history is extremely important, I think that Sachsenhausen has made me understand the Holocaust on a deeper level.

Like I said, the history of Sachsenhausen, or any concentration camp for that matter, is important. We should never forget the terrible atrocities that occurred during those years. By remembering these acts and remembering what happened can help us avoid repeating these same mistakes. The German language had two different words for memorial--Denkmal and Mahnmal. Denkmal means "memorial" or "monument," something to be commemorated. Mahnmal also has the same meaning but represents a kind of warning. It is a memorial that serves as a warning to future generations so that the same events will not happen again. For this reason, the Holocaust and the events of the Holocaust should not be forgotten.

But I think there is a deeper understanding than that. Once we get through the brutality and the violence and the horror that the victims experienced, we can look at the actual individuals themselves. I saw Sachsenhausen more as a memorial than a museum because the exhibits went to great lengths to tell stories of individuals and groups of individuals. And when we understand these stories, I think we can better understand the historical lessons of the Holocaust. We can understand that these were individuals who stood for something. These were individuals who embodied a specific creed or lived a specific ideology. These individuals believed in something so strongly, whether it be religious, social, political or economic, that they were willing to sacrifice themselves on behalf of their ideals. In the face of adversity, they did not fold. In the face of brutality, they did not conform. They did not fall back into what was easy, rather they stood strong. In the face of such hatred, this bravery is unparalleled, and I think that it is all too often lost in the statistics.

When we see the brutality and see the violence and terror carried out by the Nazis, then we think too often about how we can never repeat such acts ever again. While of course this is true, there is more to it than that. The victims left a legacy. They left a legacy of strong will, of resolve, and of bravery. They stood up for something in the face of the most terrible adversity and remained steadfast until the very end. This is a lesson for one and all. When we forget about this bravery and this resolve, then we forget one of the important legacies of the Holocaust. We forget those characteristics embodied by the victims and instead become lost in the violence of the National Socialists. We should be remembering the courage of the victims and should be practicing these same qualities. We face adversity every single day that can never compare to the same conditions that the victims at Sachsenhausen faced, yet we often find ourselves compromising our ideals and our morals. Who are we to compromise ourselves when others sacrificed their lives to defend themselves and their livelihoods?

While before I knew that the Holocaust was about much more that the horror of National Socialism, I think visiting Sachsenhausen has help me take it a step further. We should be honoring the victims for their courage by demonstrating the same characteristics they did rather than wincing at the violence. The violence should not be forgotten, but it should not be the focal point. If we don't remember the individuals, if we don't remember the stories, and if we don't remember the bravery, then we lose the true story. Ultimately, I think it comes down to what we remember. Do we remember the violence, or do we remember the courage? I think in this case they are very closely linked, we do ourselves a severe, severe disservice if we lose sight of the courage.

People often ask me why I find history so fascinating, and I tell them that what I like most is putting faces to the stories. I like reading sources and getting to know those who actually participated in events and actually lived these experiences that I can only read about. Yesterday, I felt like I looked that face straight in the eye, just short of sitting down and talking with it.

It is late; I have pictures that I will upload tomorrow. I promise.

On a completely different note, I have ordered tickets for the opening day of the German Bundesliga season! I'll be seeing Hertha Berlin play Hannover 96 at Olympiastadion. I actually get to go in this time. Additionally, I have reserved tickets to see Arsenal play soccer. Yes, I will be seeing Arsenal play a week from Wednesday! Who will they play? None other than Hannover 96. All's left to do is to book my train tickets to Hannover. Can't wait.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

Der Mut -- Courage

Germany v. Vietnam v. India

2009-07-17T16:16:00.003-05:00

Week two down, folks. Looks like 6 more to go.

Today, I've been thinking a lot about this trip compared with my other two trips abroad--to India and Vietnam. People often ask me, "Which trip did you like more? Vietnam or India?" It is a question that is absolutely unanswerable. Sure there were places in Vietnam that I enjoyed more than India, and vice versa. But if asked to make a judgment on which was better, I can't do it. They're almost incomparable. They are both so different from my own life and so different from each other that it is difficult to weigh one against the other. I believe that Germany is going to be exactly the same. So you all might just save yourself the trouble, because I can only say that it is too different to compare.

It is different for a number of reasons. First, German culture resembles American culture much more than any of the other two places I've visited. Vietnamese and Indian culture were both so different and so unique that I can say I experienced a bit of culture shock when visiting. Some of the images I saw (and took) I can be sure I will never ever see again. I can be quite sure I won't see anything that even resembles some of the things I saw in those countries, culturally speaking. But Germany is a little different in that way. Things look familiar. People act in familiar ways. Brands look familiar. Food looks familiar. Buildings look familiar. Culturally, I can't say that I've experienced any kind of "shock" per se. Things have definitely been hard. Navigating German has been difficult. But I can't say it is shocking.

What certainly has been shocking is the history. Maybe I'm a little partial to such themes, but in Berlin, such things are inevitable. To think about what happened within the past 100-150 years in German is remarkable. First--150 years ago, Germany wasn't a country. Second, Germany experienced World War I and was handed the Treaty of Versailles. Third, economic depression and the Weimar Republic. Fourth, National Socialism and World War II. Fifth, division. Sixth, Cold War. Seventh, reunification. In a nutshell, Germany has experienced a lot and has only technically been the Germany we know today for 20 years. To walk around the streets of Berlin and to see a marker running across the street signifying where the Wall used to stand is really remarkable. To think, "20 years ago, I couldn't do this" really makes one think. And think about the people. The people sitting next to me on the subway experienced these things. They all have stories.

Yesterday, I was walking around my school and I came across an antique store. I didn't go in, and I'm ashamed. I'm sure when lots of us think about dusty old tables and cigar boxes from the 40s. But think about the dusty old German tables and cigar boxes from the 40s. I think the proximity and the impact of what happened then is something that is still incredible for me to think about. Maybe that antique shop just has some musty old vases and dishes and junk. But those could be Soviet vases and dishes and junk. I think every little thing in Berlin has got to have a story and has seen something, and I'm still trying to wrap my head around all that.

I know a lot of the same can be said of the other two countries that I have visited. Both Vietnam and India have certainly experienced their fair share of turmoil within the past 60 years. I guess, though, Germany's envelops me so because it is what I study. I think because of its infamy and the global impact makes it different from the other places I visited. It makes it a little more captivating for me.

On a completely different note, Arsenal's preseason starts tomorrow. So get out your calculators, ladies and gentlemen, because the Gunners are looking for a stack of goals v. Barnet. And just in case you are wondering, Arsenal has started selling its allotted tickets for their trip to Hannover. Best believe I'm on it. Have a great weekend, and I'll catch up with you on Monday.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

die Geschichte -- history

These are a few of my not favorite things

2009-07-16T14:38:00.002-05:00

So far, most of Germany has been great. I really like my class, the people, the city, the experiences, etc, etc. But not all is well. Germany is wonderful, but there are some things that just aren't right. I thought today I'd elaborate on a few if the things that aren't so hot--

1. Drink size. This only pertains to cokes. I can't ever complain about the beer sizes. They're perfect and large. But I don't always want to drink a beer. Sometimes I want a nice Coca-Cola or a Fanta. In German, these portions are tiny. Miniscule. It is what I might serve a baby if I was going to bring him or her a coke. It is as if Germany only has a limited amount of coke and is required to ration it by serving obnoxiously small portions to its soda-drinking community. I guess since I come from the home of the extra-large Mountain Dew, then I'm simply used to larger drinks. But if any of you have been to a restaurant with me before might know that I get about two or three refills. I can't survive on just a shot of coke with an entire meal. Especially with the food and portions that Germans serve. I don't think this issue is specific to Germany, for I remember drinks being small in Vietnam and India, but I only visited those places for 3 weeks each. I've got about 6 weeks left here.

2. Ice. There is none. Period. You want ice? Might be time for you to pack up and head out. Ice does so much for a drink. It cools a drink. Not all drinks are best cold, but when I'm having lunch, I often want to enjoy it with a nice, crisp, cold Coca-Cola. I don't have that option in Germany. I recently bought a 2-liter of Fanta and have put it in my fridge. I'm considering freezing it so that I can have something similar to ice. Then the bottle might explode. Then I'd have a mess on my hands. All because Germany doesn't have ice.

3. Bicycles. I do not have a problem with bicycles. I think they're actually pretty great and have recently thought a lot about purchasing one of my own. They're great for the environment, and they're great ways to keep in shape. I've noticed, though, that the manners of bike riders here in Germany are aggravating. One of the hardest things I dealt with when I first arrived was staying out of the "bike lane" on the sidewalk. In my neighborhood, there is a thin, red brick strip in the sidewalk that looks like a nice walking path. I generally walk on sidewalks, so I walked in that path. Then I heard it. The soft, passive-aggressive "ting-ting" of the bicycle bell. I understand that it is a signal to let unsuspecting walkers know that a bike rider is coming up behind them, but to me it says, "Get the hell out of my way, idiot!" It's like a car horn, except it is that much more aggravating because it sounds so much more polite. There is plenty of space in the road for you, German bike riders. Please steer clear of me, and please stop ringing your bells at me.

4. Pavement. It is slippery. Not on a regular basis. If it is a nice, sunny day in Berlin, everything is fine. I can walk with the assurance that my feet will remain under me the entire time and I won't have to take an unexpected sit-down break in the middle of the sidewalk. But on rainy days, that stuff is almost like ice. While I have yet to fall, I feel as though it is only a matter of time. I can't see myself going the next six weeks without falling down on a rainy day. My shoes are perfectly good shoes; they don't lack any kind of traction, and my sandals are billed as "outdoor performance gear." I just know, though, that it is bound to happen. One day, a cool, refreshing rain will fall on Berlin. I will be walking across the plaza at Wilhelmsdorfer Straße, and bam! On the ground. Probably bruised.

These are all simply little things. I expected there to be positives and negatives and most everything (aside from small things like these) has been wonderful. I think most of all, the absence of friends and family is the worst part. I'm meeting people and having a great time, but there are many times when I wish I could be having these experience with the people I love. I love sharing my experiences through this blog with everyone, but I sometimes wish you all could just be here with me to do it all with me. Thanks for following along!

NOTE: I apologize for the lack of pictures thus far. Recently, I have had difficulty finding a converter to use with my cameras so that I can charge them. I am trying to save the battery on my big camera because I will be taking a trip to Sachsenhausen on Sunday. Luckily, my crafty girlfriend has located a place where I can find a converter, and I plan on picking one up ASAP. So I will try to bring you more diverse media in the future!

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

lästig -- bothersome

I've done it!

2009-07-15T10:49:00.002-05:00

Big success today everyone. I had a little test today, and I think that went well. There were a few verbs about which I wasn't completely certain and a few articles that I'm not sure if I nailed, but all in all, I'd say it went well.

That, though, was not the big success. Our class ate lunch together at this nice place just down the road from our school, and afterward, I sauntered over to the KaDeWe to look at fountain pens. Thanks to my father, I have become fond of fine writing instruments. Something about the way they glide across the paper is really remarkable. If you haven't tried one, I'd seriously consider it. I have two, and after much thought, I decided that Berlin would be an appropriate place to add to my collection.

I had already been to the KaDeWe once and knew that they had a very, very large selection of pens (not to mention, my dream pen), some outrageously priced and also some in my price range. Before I left, I had my eye on a couple of pens by Waterman and being the largest department store in Europe, the KaDeWe had it. I perused the cases of pens, weighed my options, and was ready to strike. Only one problem--I was in Germany. The saleswoman spoke German, not English.

I started slowly and just told her up front, "Hi, my German is bad. I am going to try to buy a pen." She essentially told me that the only way to get better is to practice, and we looked at some pens together. Initially, I wanted a red pen with some gold trim. It was smooth and everything seemed a-ok, but I thought that was too easy. I asked if the pen came in any other colors; she said it did and showed me a blue one and brown one. I thought the brown pen was much more handsome than either the red or blue so I told her I was ready to go. Not only did I manage to test out a couple of different colors, but I also asked about the nib size, ink color, and loading type (cartridge v. converter. I went with the converter). I picked up an ink well, checked out, and headed back with my newly purchased Waterman fountain pen.

The pen is great. I've been writing with it since I picked it up, and I'm very satisfied. But, what's more is that I had a real sense of accomplishment after all was said and done. I'm sure I really didn't say that much, and it really is just a small incident, but I felt good afterward (and not just because I bought something). I successfully navigated an educated purchase in German, and I managed only to call the saleswoman a man once. She was right--the more I practice the easier it will get. And that's why I'm over here. I'm here to get as comfortable as possible using German, and each day everything becomes a little easier. Who knows what's next. Maybe I'll head over to the Mercedes dealer and see how easy that is.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

erfolgreich -- successful

Afternoon coffee

2009-07-14T13:16:00.003-05:00

Not too much going on in Deutschland this Tuesday. It was a beautiful afternoon, and even though we have a test tomorrow (yes, a test. It's summer, right?), I thought I'd grab a book and find a cafe.

Cafes seem to be popular in Germany, and I'm sure throughout Europe. In order to experience Germany properly, I thought I'd do my part to try out what seems to be a popular pastime. Before coming to Germany, I always heard a lot about "cafe culture" and heard of the famous intellectuals and artists getting their starts in cafes. I figure if I'm going to access my inner famous intellectual, then I better head to a cafe. There don't appear to be too many in my neighborhood, so I went back to Wilhelmsdorfer Strasse where I have class.

I found a small cafe and ordered a coffee and some cinnamon pastry. I found a table outside, got my book out (Honor and Slavery by Kenneth Greenberg. Not everyday German cafe reading, I'm sure), and started to take in the atmosphere. I got about 10 pages in and realized that I couldn't just sit there. I kept looking up, eavesdropping, watching walkers, and just staring off into space. I managed to read all about Henry Clay's duel with John Randolph, but after that, I just couldn't focus. I don't know if I'm still on sensory overload from Germany or what it was, but as it stands right now, I clearly cannot produce my best work in the cafe atmosphere.

Maybe if I had a cigarette and a croissant then I'd absorb my reading a little better. Maybe if I had an avant-garde cadre at my table that included a failing yet talented artist, some depressing nihilist, and a rich benefactor then Greenberg's words would fly off the page and lead me to some cutting-edge breakthrough. Perhaps a plain coffee isn't enough--maybe an espresso or a macchiato or something that comes in one of those baby mugs would really get the juices flowing. Or maybe, just maybe, my attention span is too short.

Don't worry, nation. I'm not giving up on this cafe stuff. No beginner's luck this time. But with the right cafe and the right time, who knows what could happen? I think what lies behind it all is that I don't want to just sit in my house and read. Reading is great; it was something that I was looking forward to doing here in Germany, but I don't want to do it in my room. Especially on a day like today. Being in a cafe and just being out in Berlin means a lot of different things. I get to try different foods and different drinks. I get to see and encounter different people. I get to practice my German. I get to see new places in town that I haven't seen before. I couldn't do all of that in my room. I really want to get out there and experience it all. That definitely means taking in the cafe atmosphere. But don't worry--I'll leave the cigarettes to others.

Take care, one and all.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

die Ablenkung -- distraction

Olympiastadion

2009-07-13T14:05:00.006-05:00

Welcome back, one and all.

I have survived my first full weekend in Berlin. I can't say that I did a whole, whole lot, but I got to sleep in, see some sights, and do a little bit of my homework. It was a bit touristy, but it was enjoyable all the same.

Two things:

1. I was extremely excited this weekend because I planned on going to the Olympiastadion this weekend. I wasn't going to see any kind of sporting event; from what I knew, there wasn't anything planned. I really just wanted to see it. Historically, it represents so much. It is one of the last remnants of Nazi architecture in Berlin. It was the site of the 1936 Olympics, the supposed showcase of the German master race. Instead, Jesse Owens won 4 gold medals. It was one of many venues of the 2006 World Cup held in Germany. While one might not think that is too significant, many mark the sporting event as one of the first times Germans could be excited about being German and celebrate their nationality in decades. So this combination of sport and history is naturally appealing to a strapping young man like myself. Unfortunately when I arrived, I found this--

Looks perfect, right? I apologize for the resolution, for at the time, I failed to recognize the appeal of what I had found. You might notice right next to one of the giant columns, a sign:

I will translate. "Welcome to the congress of the Jehovah's Witnesses." Of all the days I could have chosen to visit the Olympiastadion, I managed to choose the day that the Jehovah's Witnesses were hosting an international congress there. I could tell it was packed, I could hear people speaking over the loud speaker, and droves and droves of people in suits and dresses were flocking to the stadium. I was not allowed in. As I walked away frustrated, I could see other hopeful tourists with their leisure gear and cameras ready to see the stadium. I wanted to say, "Just turn around, amigos." But on the Ubahn ride back into Berlin, I thought about this. The Jehovah's Witnesses were one of the first groups to openly resist National Socialism and were severely persecuted by Hitler and the Nazis. Now, they're hosting an international congress in one of the last remaining examples of Nazi architecture. It's becoming more and more fascinating the more and more I think about it. Not such a loss after all.

2. And this only a short gripe. I continue to use German when I'm out at restaurants and the grocery, etc, etc. But increasingly, people will speak English back to me! For example, I had a nice dinner of bratwurst and sauerkraut yesterday. I ordered in German, and all seemed fine. Then, my waitress came by and said, "Finished?" Come on! I replied, "Ja, ich bin fertig" (Yes, I'm finished). This has happened a couple of times. Come on, Germany! Give me a chance. The only way I'm going to get better at this is if you let me practice.

Alright, I hope this makes your Monday a bit easier. Take care, America, and I will see you tomorrow.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

die Überraschung -- surprise

First week down

2009-07-10T14:48:00.004-05:00

While it hasn't been an entire week, I've finished my first week of class in Berlin. I've already learned a lot, and hands down, my German is already so much better after the first week. I don't speak German with my classmates all of the time outside of class, but I'm constantly thinking in German. Quite simply, you can't get away from it. I know that's kind of an obvious statement, but it really makes a difference. At school, I would have three hours of German class a week. While I learned a lot and wouldn't be here without that German, it was really easy to turn it off and continue in English. Some of the finer point fell by the wayside. Here, it is inescapable. I can't turn off the German if I want to get from place to place, or buy some groceries, or whatever. Sure I guess that I could ask the workers at the bakery or the grocery or the bookstore if they speak English, but I think I'd be selling myself short. I didn't expect anything to be easy, and I don't want to make it so. It comes with the territory.

There are a few things I still need to get over. I'm still a little hesitant to speak German to Germans. I think it will get easier and easier to do, but it still is a bit of an issue. Sometimes when I don't know what something is or how to do something, I won't bother trying to ask because I just want to use German. This morning, for example, there was something at the bakery that I really wanted to eat. It looked like some variation of a bear claw danish, but I didn't know what it was. I didn't ask, and I went with the apple strudel instead. I know it is a small thing, but I really would have liked that danish. Restaurants in general spur a bit of anxiety. Today after class, some of my classmates and I went to a restaurant, and it was a very complicated ordeal. It involved some strange plastic card that was like a credit card/tab card that you passed to each station, and they swiped it each time you ordered. So first, I had to get the card from the hostess. Then I had to hand it to the man from whom I ordered my pasta. Then I had to hand it to the woman from whom I ordered my beer. Then I had to hand it back to the hostess after I was finished with my meal to pay. I have this image that restaurants in Germany are situated in a very complicated way that I won't understand when explained to me in German. I think with time, this will be easier and easier. I've only been here for a week, after all.

Eavesdropping has become my new favorite thing to do. I have to admit that I have brought my iPod onto the Ubahn a couple of times and listened, but for the most part, I try to listen to other people's conversations. I have found that I've been able to pick out more and more words. I have started looking for the most conversant people on the Ubahn and started sitting near them so that I can hear what they're saying. I sat next to a kid today who was telling one of his schoolmates about how being an only child was the best thing to be. Television is a bit easier to understand also. I can't say that I completely understand everything that I hear, but I have been picking up more and more words. Yesterday, I watched a program about Free Masons. I can't say that now I know anymore about the Free Masons than I did before, but I certainly could identify more words than before--even a word that I learned that day in class.

Ultimately, I am really happy with how things have progressed after the first week of classes. It can only get better. I know I've still got a long way to go, but I'm getting there. I'm still at a point where when I read German, it must be processed into English before I can understand what it actually means. I imagine there will come a time where I will just recognize German as German, read it, and understand it, and I don't expect to have that kind of expert competency when I finish my 8 weeks. I can only hope to be closer to that.

I hope you all are enjoying everything so far. Have a lovely weekend, and I'll be back on Monday.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

die Besserung -- improvement

A quiet Thursday

2009-07-09T11:10:00.004-05:00

A bit of a quiet day here in Berlin. I decided to take it a little easier today. I think the walking yesterday has caught up with me. Additionally, I met up with some Goethe Institut classmates at a beer garden last night. Before you say, "Ah, I see why he's taking it easy! He's hungover!" hold your tongues! I only had two beers. What I did do, though, was walk around for about an hour before I found the beer garden.

This was a big planned event by the Institut. Some of the Institut workers reserved tables for us, and they also handed out card with a small map and directions for how to get there. Like the responsible person I am, I lost mine, but I did remember the Ubahn stop we were to take. I thought to myself, "How hard can this beer garden really be to find?" Answer--hard. Very, very hard. I wandered around Charlottenberg for a good 45mins-1hr before I actually happened upon Müller-Breslau Straße. I nearly gave up. Luckily, I didn't and I had a good time with some of my classmates. My experiences yesterday have taught me to carry my map and my compass.

I had plans today to see some of Berlin's big sites, but I think I'll save that for tomorrow. Unfortunately, it looks like it is going to rain again, and I had planned on taking a book or my homework to a cafe. Something for another day perhaps.

Have a good Thursday, Americans.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

ruhig -- quiet

Wanderlust

2009-07-08T10:42:00.004-05:00

Lots happened today, blog team--

First and probably least important, my class got a little less diverse today. Our friend from Libya was moved to a different class, and our Spanish student went MIA. Additionally, two more Americans are now in our class.

Class aside, the big happening today was my giant walk. I grabbed my camera and thought, "Let's see what this neighborhood has to offer." So I set off down Bingerstraße looking completely touristy. I figure it couldn't look too bad since I was in a residential neighborhood away from the big sights.

Needless to say, I got lost. Big time lost. That's not important at all. What is important is that I saw lots of wonderful things. I found two Catholic churches, one of which was built between 1891-3. It isn't every day you just happen upon a church from the 19th century. I managed to get a couple of pictures of these churches, but unfortunately for me, it started to rain. There was a threat of rain all day, and it rained earlier. When I set out, though, everything looked blue. Alas. Fortunately, the sidewalks around my neighborhood have so much tree cover that it really wasn't much of a problem walking more.

Afterward, I came across what I thought was a park. A high wall surrounded the park, so I went through one of the wrought-iron gates to find out instantly that it wasn't a park at all, but a cemetery. I didn't really know how to react because it seemed almost private, and others were paying their respects. I explored though. I'd never seen a cemetery like this before. Patrons used the entire plot to plant gardens on top of their loved ones. I also got the impression that this cemetery was old. Toward the back, adjacent to the church in the cemetery stood rows and rows of crosses with dates like "1875-1916" and others. Titles like "Leutnant," "Wehrmann," and "Kriegsfreiwilliger" (lieutenant, army man, and war volunteer) preceded names in the cross.

This was the first "whoa..." moment of my trip. Lots of things went through my mind. I thought about, first, how many of these people lived before Germany was actually Germany. And while German history is certainly rich before its unification in 1870, it is still fascinating to think about what things were like before then--when Prussia was such a strong player, and it doesn't even exist today. I thought also about the experience these men must have had during the First World War, about the trenches and the brutality. But also, this was the other side. We often hear about what our grandfathers and great-grandfathers have done, and this was the other side of the story. Something like this isn't something you expect to "stumble upon." I will certainly return there, given I can find it again.

After the churches and the cemetery, one might think that a walk couldn't have much more to offer. You would be wrong, my friends. I have had a very difficult time finding a grocery store. By difficult time, I mean I haven't been able to find one since I arrived. Well, lucky me, I found one. Even better, it is about three blocks from my house. It's called Kaiser's. Today, I bought a box of granola bars, a loaf of bread, a bag of chips, peanut butter, and jelly. I'm still trying to get over my nervousness about speaking German to Germans, so I didn't approach the meat counter (on a side note, I have a hard enough time approaching the meat counter in America). I really just wandered around the grocery store for about 30 minutes to see what all there is to offer. I stood in front of the bread section, and the entire time I thought, "Don't buy the 'American Sandwich bread!'" But I did. I'm American. And I want an American sandwich. So, that is what I will do.

Enjoy your day, Americans, and I will be back with more tomorrow

NEW PICTURES UPLOADED

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

verloren -- lost

Got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight...

2009-07-07T09:49:00.004-05:00

Just woke up from a killer nap, blog nation. I still must be suffering from a bit of jet lag, but I'll get over it soon enough.

So today was my first day of classes. I woke up around 6:30am to make it out by 7 so that I'd get to the Goethe Institut by 8:00. I had planned on finding a nice breakfast and then strolling over to my class by 8:20 before classes started at 8:30. I was lucky to make it there by 8:20. My commute requires me to change lines four times. Three on the Ubahn (subway) and one to the Sbahn (train). I made it at 8:20am hungry and a little sweaty because I walked pretty swiftly from the station to the Institute.

I got there and found out that my class had been moved to the Institute's summer home. I first thought that we might be missing out since my class, and a few others, wouldn't be at the actual Goethe Institut. Not to be the case. The "Sommerhaus" is a nice school with lots of ivy and growth (Berlin has a surprising amount of green space). Additionally, the Institut provided buses to drive us to the new location in Charlottenburg, a borough of Berlin. I got to see a lot of Berlin this way. We drove down Unter den Linden, passed the Brandenburg Gate and the Charlottenberg Palace, several museums, etc, etc. Even better, the new location is a mere 20 mins (at most) from my place. Very nice.

Class was great today. We did some basic things, but they were basic things that I never really got a good hang of, like prepositions. I think it will be really helpful to do all of those things again. A review in Germany will be really beneficial because I will be learning and using at the same time. I'll be permeated with these words, and it will be difficult to turn off when I'm done. I've got homework, though. I've got to write an essay about my name and finish a worksheet. Even in Germany, they assign homework.

Finally, my classmates seem nice. There are 10 of us, including myself--all diverse backgrounds and occupations. There is a man who was born in Azerbaijan, lives in France, and researches Islamic history. Another man is from Slovakia, is currently studying in Rome, and is a Catholic priest. There is one other American, and people hailing from Switzerland, Libya, Spain, Turkey, Canada, and Japan. It's really going to be fascinating to have all different types of people learning the same thing.

I'm off now to see a presentation about Berlin. Then I'll find dinner and head back to bed. I promise pictures are coming, I just lack the energy at the moment.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

Homework -- Hausaufgaben

I have arrived.

2009-07-06T13:39:00.003-05:00

Hello, hello my blog friends,

I made it safely to Berlin, something that I wasn't completely sure would actually happen. I got in yesterday around 7pm Berlin time and was completely exhausted. Still am. Not sure how much longer I will actually be up.

Before I left, though, my family, Danielle, and I went to Cincinnati to catch a baseball game before I few out the next day. I must say that it was possibly the most American thing that I could have done before I left. We all enjoyed America's pastime with America's oldest baseball team with some good American food. It was a great game, too. Albert Pujols hit a grand slam. Don't see that every day. After the game, we saw the most incredible fireworks display I think I will ever experience. It was incredible, and I never thought that I would use that word to describe a fireworks show (aside from incredibly boring). I've never seen fireworks like this before. Rockets red glare fo' sho.

Traveling wasn't so bad. O'Hare was a lot crummier than I thought, but Heathrow was wonderful. All kinds of shops and food and British accents. I met some people from Tennessee while I was eating a meal (I'd say it was lunch, but I'm not sure what my body thought it was). The only reason I said something to them was because I thought I wouldn't hear accents like that for two months. I also got to watch some Wimbledon with some Brits. Coming and going from Heathrow, I didn't get a chance to really see anything good, but I did get a pretty good look at the new Wembly Stadium. For those of you wondering, it looks great.

Now I'm in Berlin, and what I've seen so far is pretty great. My accommodations are great, though I've still yet to meet my host, Nicolas. He's apparently in Italy for a few more days. He's got a town house-type place, and he evidently keeps students often. I've been told that there are two other students staying here also, but I've yet to meet them. I did encounter someone leaving the shower yesterday. It wasn't anything uncomfortable, but I hear someone leave, so I peaked my head out of my room to say hello. The person just looked at me funny and went back to the bathroom. Maybe a second try is in store.

I start all of my classes tomorrow, and I'm pretty excited about it. It will be nice to--breaking news: I just met someone who will be staying in this house. His name is Josef and he is from Croatia. He seemed nice--get some sort of structure and to start learning German again. It has been a whole year since I've had any sort of formal German class for a year now, and I'm a bit rusty. Hearing and seeing all the German in the train and subway stations has been really great. I know that some don't, but I think German sounds really beautiful, and I haven't listened to it spoken this much probably ever. I like trying to eavesdrop and understand what people are saying. If I were in America, I'd definitely ride trains and subways with my iPod, but now I feel like I'd be missing something if I did that.

I haven't become confident speaking German yet, but I'm sure it will come. It has happened twice so far. First was trying to find currency exchange in the airport. I asked a security man in German, and he started telling me about something. He said something and then "geht vor" which sounds just like "gate four" in English. I'm sure that's not what he said. Then today, I got a doner kebab from a shop near my house for dinner. I asked them to fix it to go by saying "zu gehen." The kind, little old lady said "In Germany, it's anpacken." Thank you, kind German woman. Your generosity and helpfulness will not be forgotten.

Well, that's the story so far, ladies and gentlemen. I hope you are all taking care of America for me.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

müde -- tired

Aufwiedersehen

2009-07-03T10:12:00.003-05:00

Alright blog nation,

Not a long one today. This is it. Last night was the last I'll spend in my house for a couple of months.

The big flight isn't until tomorrow, but the fam and the lady friend and I are heading up to Cin-city to catch a Reds game and take it easy before I head out.

Next time you hear from me, I'll be sniffin' German air. Have a nice 4th one and all.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

der Abflug -- departure

Nervous? Who's nervous?

2009-07-02T12:50:00.004-05:00

Officially I leave on the 4th of July, but tonight is the last night that I am spending in my house for two months. There are lots of mixed emotions right now, and I thought I'd take some time to reflect on some of those--

Traveling means one thing, airports. I love airports, and I really always have. Flying makes me marginally nervous, but it is always outweighed by the excitement of actually being in an airport. I love to watch the people, love to speculate about where people are going and why. I like all of the stores and shops in airports, and I think it is fun seeing all the different things that airports have to offer. For this particular trek, I'll be flying through Cincinnati, Chicago O'Hare, London Heathrow, and Berlin Tegel. That will give me time to see all kinds of different airports and people. The music I listen to in an airport is also very pivotal. I like to imagine myself in a movie, and the music that I'm listening to is the soundtrack. That might sound kind of weird to you, readers, but it's the truth. It gets me in a good mood and gets me excited to fly.

The excitement of seeing new airports and, more importantly, seeing new places is always great, but this time it is a bittersweet feeling. I've never been in a situation like this before. I've been away from home for two months before. There were times at Centre and in Alabama where I didn't get a chance to come home for a long, long time (and I'm sorry about that Mom and Dad). But this time it's different. I can't come home. I'm not at all saying that I would want to come home, but I've always had that option of coming home if I ever wanted to. The last time I had this feeling was when I was at scout camp. Then I cried nearly every day, and Mom came to visit every day. That can't happen now. I like to think that I'm older and more mature than I was back then, but it's certainly a new situation that I'm in that makes me a little nervous.

Something else that makes me a little nervous is that I will know absolutely nobody. When I left for Centre, I knew one person who was a year older than me. And while in Alabama I didn't know anyone (aside from the few Centre students spread out throughout various graduate programs), it was fairly easy to make friends and I could stay in touch with my family and friends fairly easy. I could drive to Murray or Lexington or Danville or Louisville and be somewhere where the people were familiar. I think its exciting to be in this position where I will be interacting with people all over the globe, it is a little nerve-wracking to think about meeting people. I'm really excited to learn about other people and their heritage and backgrounds, but doing so when the language barrier and, maybe, the cultural barrier might be vast, sparks a little uncertainty. I'm completely comfortable traveling by myself and experiencing Germany alone this time, but that isn't something that I want to do. I think that I'd be missing out on a part of this opportunity if I didn't take advantage of the potential friendships and people with whom I will be studying.

The most obvious thing is how much I will miss everyone. I've never been so far away physically for so long. Yes, India and Vietnam took me halfway around the world, but that was only three weeks long. We traveled so much on both of those trips that it all went by in a flash and I really didn't have a whole lot of time to think. But this is more like a stay rather than a trip. Two months is a long time, and I know over that time I will miss my family, my girlfriend, and all my friends very, very much. It will be tough being away from you all for so long, and I hope to hear from you frequently.

All this being said, all these nerves that I have, I am really looking forward to taking advantage of this opportunity. I am going to see sights, meet people, eat food, drink beer, go to soccer games (Hannover 96 v. Arsenal, July 29!!). I'm going to see that country like a maniac will probably make a fool of myself doing so, but really, who gets a chance like this to experience Germany like this? It's normal to have pre-travel jitters, and these are just some of the big ones that I've got. It'll be interesting to see how they are resolved, and don't you worry, blog-followers, it will all be resolved right here on BMB.

I leave you with a bit more German music. This is a number from the German band Wir Sind Helden (We are Heroes) and their number "Nur ein Wort" (Only a word). It's a catchy one. And don't worry about knowing all the words. Neither do I. Just enjoy!

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

der Ausländer -- Foreigner

Fear not, Americans

2009-07-01T11:13:00.002-05:00

Yes, I'm going to Germany. Yes, I study German history. Yes, I plan on making my career from understanding another country. But I'm here to set the record straight. This doesn't mean, by any means, that I'm turning my back on the good ol' stars and stripes. Ask me to list my top five favorite countries, and some of you might think I'd list Germany first. You would be dead wrong. America always has been and always will be number one.

You don't have to leave the country to know that the United States of America is a great place. We've got great cities, great landmarks, and great people. Other countries might hate our sports, but if we're honest with ourselves, there's nothing better to do on a fall afternoon than watch college football. March Madness--the reason why March is the second greatest month of the year, just behind December. Tiger Woods? You're welcome, world. Many of you know that I'm a big soccer fan, but there is no denying the greatness of American sports.

Don't get me started on American music. One word for you, world--jazz. No other art form epitomizes coolness like jazz does. I can't say that anything else that can compete with the unmistakable slickness of jazz. It makes you get out of your seat and dance, but it can also help you wind down. Whatever the occasion, jazz fits. And I don't care where I am in the world, I think about America when I think of jazz. I imagine that 10 years of jazz band has stirred a strong penchant for the music, but it undeniably American and an inimitable art.

So many things about America are wonderful: giant Cokes, Kentucky Fried Chicken, John William Ferrell (as seen above), Lupe Fiasco, apple pie, driving on the right side of the road, driving in the left side of the car, Stephen Colbert, hot dog eating contests, Peyton Manning, etc, etc, etc. The list goes on and on and on. Our history might not be as expansive as other countries, but we sure have done some great things. Maybe we didn't invent the printing press, but we put a man on the moon. Maybe we didn't have da Vinci, but we have Edison. No, we don't have Dickens or Goethe or Dostoevsky, but we've got Faulkner and Twain and Whitman. What a country?!

Yea, sure there are issues with our country, but there are issues with every country. America is responsible for things like Lil' Wayne and the Jonas Brothers, but what country hasn't produced something like that? All we can do is learn from our mistakes, Americans. So fear not-- I won't be swapping the red, white and blue for black, red, and gold ever.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

sternbesäte Fahne -- star spangled banner

Prelude to Berlin

2009-06-30T10:58:00.003-05:00

So why Berlin? You might be thinking, "Will, there are plenty of cities to choose from in Germany. Why did you choose Berlin?" Good question. When I applied for this grant from the DAAD, the service asked me to request 3 different cities where I would like to study. One was Berlin, the other was Dresden, and I can't recall the third. Maybe Frankfurt or Freiberg. Nonetheless, Berlin was my first choice, and Berlin was the city I got, and I am extremely excited.

I wanted to go to Berlin for many different reasons. Historically, Berlin has one of the richest pasts that I can imagine. There are so many different layers of history that one can identify in this place. Recent history draws attention to things like the Berlin Wall and the Cold War. Berlin was left in veritable ruins following World War II. It served as the capital of the Third Reich during the 1930s and 40s. The politics of German unification unfolded here. Notable figures like JG Fichte, the Brothers Grimm, GWFH Hegel, Karl Marx, Felix Mendelssohn, and many, many others studied in Berlin. Its 700+ year history has so much to offer and so much for a young, strapping, budding historian like myself can get excited about.

Along with the history, the culture of Berlin stands out as vibrant and attractive. Berlin offers so much to music, art, architecture and literature that it might be marginally overwhelming. Lucky for me, Berlin is one of the foremost developers of techno music. Hooray. Now I can finally grab some glow-sticks and shake it to some brain-melting bass. After flipping through various travel books and searching through sites online, the diversity of architecture that Berlin offers is incredible. It also supports museums for everything imaginable--there's an island between Berlin's two rivers called Museum Island. I can only imagine what is there.

The prospect of being in Germany is really thrilling. Having been to places like Vietnam and India, I always find travel exciting, but never before have I had so much invested in the country I am visiting. This is the place that I want to study for a living, and now I finally get to go there. I will be talking to the people I study and walking where they walk. I think there are so many things that I want to do and so many things that I want to say that it's difficult to communicate. I don't really know where to start.

Ultimately what I have to say is that I'm super pumped. I've been thinking about going to Berlin for some time now, and it is actually happening. I get to pack up my things and head to the beer gardens and soak it all in. The beer and the atmosphere. And the classwork. Of course, I cannot forget the classwork.

So I leave you today with a little dip into Berlin's culture with a video from Berlin's own band, Jeans Team, and their single, "Oh Bauer" (Oh Farmer). I promise you'll want to dance.

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

Angeragt--Excited

I know the anticipation is killing you

2009-05-06T14:59:00.006-05:00

Americans:

Of late, I've been trying to think of reasons justifying a blog. While always thrilling, I just don't think that life as a history graduate student at the University of Alabama is something that you would flock to read about, or I would willingly write about. But lucky for us, the generous folks at the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD, auf deutsch) have deemed me worthy of some dinero and are shipping me off to Berlin for the summer. What does this mean? Of course this means that I will finally get to travel to Germany. It means that I will get to improve my German language to make me a more professional historian. All of these things are wonderful, but let's be honest--it's blog-worthy material.

What I've got for you is a glimpse into my experience in Germany. Whether it be travels, interactions, pictures, videos, thoughts, etc., you will find it here. Ideally, I'd like to post daily. Following the spirit of The Life of Brian, I foresee this as a Monday-Friday thing. I really do not know what my schedule will be aside from my weekday schedule (M-R 8:30-1:00pm CET, F 8:300-12:00pm), so we will just stick to the more predictable weekdays. This means that I should have some time in the afternoon to reflect and post. Now, time difference between Central Daylight Time (i.e. God's time) and Central European Time is seven hours. So you can take the blog as a nightcap or apart of your morning news.

I hope you all enjoy what you find. I envision a nice balance of thoughts and pictures, as photography is increasingly becoming a big hobby of mine. Feedback is always welcome, not only because I want to make this the best experience you've ever had following someone's travels in Germany, but also because I like to hear from you. If you like something, want to see more of it, less of it, the same amount of it, agree, disagree, kind of agree, etc., etc., share that with me.

Lastly and perhaps the worst news of all, this will only last the duration of my travels. I'm letting you know this up front. I've done this for a number of reasons. Mainly, I don't want to reel you in with exciting German stories and jump the shark after I return to the states. I think it would be best to leave it in Europe. I plan on beginning posts a few days before I leave (some time around July 6), and probably ending a few days after I return. Until then, I have left you with a long-winded introduction. I hope you can survive until the real deal begins later this summer.

Alright amigos. This is it. I hope you enjoy. Tschüss.

Below will be another daily feature that will help this blog be as bilingual as possible:

Deutsches Wort des Tages:

deutsches Wort des Tages--German word of the day