DUSTIN: Final Thoughts

This trip has sadly come down to its final days. Looking back on the whole experience and everything that I had to do to get here, I would have to say it was worth every stressful day. When we first landed in Munich I was terrified, because I had never left the east coast of the United States. When we were going to German customs to get our passports stamped I had no clue what was going on. We filed into lines at the desks and got asked questions on why we were here; I panicked and froze for a second until I remembered why I was in Germany. When we got to Berlin finally we almost died, not really but I thought we were going to. We got on a bus, and headed to our hostel The Heart of Gold. I was in shock I had no clue what was going on everyone around me went from speaking English to speaking German.

Berlin was a lot to take in. My first experience in Germany was in its capital and one of its biggest cities. In the United States the biggest city I’ve been in was Boston. Berlin seemed much bigger. I didn’t sleep any on the plane, so when we got there I was extremely tired. I wanted to relax and go to sleep, but I’m glad I didn’t because I would have missed a lot of amazing things like the Victory Tower and the Brandenburg Gate. The trip to Berlin was a great way to start the trip.

When we got to Magdeburg I felt more at home than I did in Berlin. Magdeburg is more my speed, it’s not big and it’s not fast paced like Berlin. In Magdeburg I met everyone else that was studying with us. I am going to miss everyone on this trip. I may not every get to see some of them again like the friends that I made from Jordan, but I feel like I made lifelong friends. I was put out of my comfort zone a few times while I’ve been here because I am terrified of heights and it seems like everything worth seeing is very high up.

The class here had me nervous because I had no clue what to expect. As it turned out it wasn’t that bad after all. They teacher was nice and the material was explained well and if you were really lost in English. I was terrified because it takes me a second to straighten everything out in my head when someone talks to me in German, but I had no reason to be. Now the class is finished I am sad because that makes the end of this great journey aboard, which is one that I will never forget. I have heard it said that when you go aboard it’s a life changing experience, and it really is. It opens your eyes to everything around you. I will never forget my month in the country that I worked so hard to get to. It has truly been a dream come true for me, and I couldn’t have asked for a better group to spend it with.

 

KIRSTEN: Final Thoughts

Being in Magdeburg for three weeks has made me feel like I live here. I’m so glad that we have stayed in one spot compared to other trips through the school in which students travel around so much more than we have. This trip has gone by so fast that many days it feels like we just got here, and other days I feel like something happened months ago. While I’m sad that I will be leaving Magdeburg, I’m glad that I still have another month here in Germany with family.

Overall this trip has been very eye-opening. We’ve had to adapt to so many different things, such as no free refills or waiters always coming to the table to check on you. The roads are so bike friendly that people are on bikes everywhere, and riders even get their own lane. We have also had the chance to use many different types of public transportation that you can’t really find in the States. We’ve done many different things in three weeks that would not be quite as easy in the States. In a given day, we could hop on a train in the morning, stop in two cities for a couple of hours at a time and still get to our final destination with enough light to walk around, take pictures and enjoy an evening there.

I’m very glad that I took this opportunity that so few people get to have. Learning about a language and culture only goes so far in a classroom in the states, but being in the country that you are learning about gives you a whole new perspective on it. Being in the country forces you to hear the language and learn to listen closely and quickly to what is being said. I know that I won’t come back to the States speaking Deutsch fluently, but I know that I will know so much more than I did at the beginning of the trip. This trip has showed me that there is so much more in the world than good ‘ole Boiling Springs. I know that I have changed so much so far on this trip, although I probably couldn’t tell you how. As much as I miss home at this point, I think that I am going to miss this country even more.

CHRIS: Final Thoughts

Goodbye Deutschland

I have learned so much from this trip. It’s been super interesting to see how people of another culture live. I have also become vastly more comfortable speaking German. When I first got here I was secretly terrified to talk to any of the Germans. Since then I’ve become much more comfortable and have no fear whatsoever with talking to them. I surprised myself at lunch today when the waiter tried to rip us off. Genie and I ate at an Asian restaurant. The food was very good and reasonably priced. I had some curry chicken stuff.

When I went to pay the waiter didn’t have any Kleingeld or at least that’s what he told us. So Genie and I gave him two 10s and six Euros in coin money. He then gave me a five and walked off. The meal was only 15.50 and we soon realized that he was trying to rip off the Auslanders. I guess it was the end of his shift because he changed clothes and tried to walk out. He tried so hard not to make eye contact. I spoke well enough German to call him out about it when he tried to leave. At first he pretended like he didn’t know what I was talking about and that I was speaking another language. Another waiter walked over and I explained what happened. He then gave me a ten and we left. I was so proud of myself.

I would also like to mention that this has only happened once since I’ve been here and I’ve eaten almost every meal out. 99% of the time at restaurants the waiters are courteous and go out of their way to help you. That’s the way it’s been with everyone. If you get lost or need to find an ATM all you have to do is ask someone politely and they will help. The German society is very orderly and polite. Even the homeless people are polite! The first day we got here Kendall and I sat down near the train station and had a snack. Two homeless people approached us and we had a conversation with them. The whole time they used the formal Sie and when I said that I didn’t understand something they took the time to explain it to us. In America if two bums approached us I would’ve feared for my life but here I didn’t feel threatened at all. That’s something I’ll definitely miss. In Deutschland I can go almost anywhere any time of day and feel perfectly safe.

In fact I’ll miss almost everything about Deutschland. The food, the people, the weather, the beer, the beer gardens, the Strassenbahn, and countless other things. I’ll definitely miss hanging out with the group too. The group on this trip has been awesome and I can say without a doubt that this has been one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. Everyone has gotten along well and I’ve had so much fun.

It is definitely time to go home though. I want to see my family. My sister and Ryan are home from Korea and I want to see them. I also want to play my guitar again. I have missed it so much! I haven’t played guitar in forever the calluses on my fingers are starting to disappear. I can’t wait to go home but at the same time I can’t wait to come back someday. I’ve had such a good time here and learned so much. Everything has been wunderbar.

KENDALL: Final Thoughts

Before I left for Germany, I didn't really know what to expect. I was worried about not being proficient enough. I wanted to become fluent, I wanted to learn the culture, I wanted to build up my application for grad school and resume. I came because my friend Lynn convinced me; she told me her trip to Sweden was the most influential event in her life. I thought that at the very least it would change my perspective on life to come to Europe and see a different way of life. The days leading up to me leaving were tense for me, and it was very hard to say goodbye to the people closest to me for so long; I knew I would miss my girlfriend badly, and my summer vacation with my family also, but I had decided this was the right path for me.

The flight to Germany was surreal, it had been a while since I had been on an airplane much less out of the country. I didn't know anybody I was traveling with except for Jay. When we arrived I started to get to know my fellow students as we made the trek to our hostel on little or no sleep with all our luggage. I never really felt like I had come to Europe; I could see so many things similar to America that it seemed like I was just a skip and a hop away.

Since my arrival, I have become very close to the other students. Several of them are much more confident in their German than me and so I was dependent on them to do basic tasks. We became close as family, sharing rooms, food, drinks, and memories.

When we started class I was surprised I was put in the same level as other students like Chris, Regina D. and TJ, but I figured if I was with them I could survive even if I was over my head. I decided I would stick it out and stay in the upper level course for better or worse because I couldn't settle for not trying my hardest and I wasn't sure what the second half of my trip would have in store for me.

Class was challenging, but I found the change in my everyday routine much harder to deal with. I am used to having lots of alone time, and I have every kind of time but alone. It put me way outside of my comfort zone to attend a class I struggled just to keep up with and spend my time constantly in the company of others. We did many fun and exciting things that I will never forget and while I grew tired of the constant activity I knew I would regret it if I didn't try and participate as much as possible.

It feels like it took until now to adjust, and now the circumstances are changing again. My class is over, and I amazingly enough did as well as everyone else despite the fact I have had fewer classes. I am having to say goodbye to all the people I have become so close to. I will see some people again, back in America, but others I will probably never see again :( .

Now I am looking forward to my next month here, studying in Stendal, and once again delving into the unknown with a new city and new people. Whatever happens, I am sure I will learn much from it, I can only hope as much as I have learned in the past month. For those of you reading this at home, I miss you and I look forward to seeing you.

GENIE: Final Thoughts

Last night a small group of us went to a shisha (hookah) bar downtown. It was very neat and relaxing to sit back and decompress after such a long and stressful week. I had never tried shisha before, and I found that I did not hate or even dislike it as I thought I would. I’m going to do some more research about it before I do it over and over though. Regardless, I’d go back to that place because it had a great atmosphere and décor.

Today we had class at the regular time, but it was much more relaxed. We watched the film Good Bye Lindin, which I had never seen before. It’s a wonderful movie, and it was interesting to watch it in German. After that we took a break and went to the school’s store and purchased some memorabilia (aka hoodies!). Then we watched a kid’s fairy tale in German until it was time for our “award ceremony”. The head of the school talked to us and then presented us with our certificates for completing the class.

After class, Chris and I went to the Asian bistro that is situated a stone’s throw away from the Jugendherberge. It was fantastic. They have lunch specials and I had an 8 piece sushi dish with a small salad that had a delicious mango dressing. The sushi consisted of avocado and tuna, crab, and I think salmon.

At the end of the meal, Chris gave the waiter two 10 euro bills to pay for 15,50 €. The man said (auf Deutsch) that he didn’t have any small money for change, so we pooled together some small money and gave him six euro in jingle. He then gave Chris five euro back and left. “Hmmmmm,” we thought, “that doesn’t make sense!” So we immediately realized the man owed Chris five more euro seeing as in total he had been given 26 € to pay for 15,50 €. We sat there for a good while, discussing the possibility that he had done it on purpose, just to mess with us because we’re American. When Chris saw him next and called him over he had changed into his street clothes. He was going to dip out with the money! Chris explained to him, very kindly I might add, in German what had happened, and one of the other waiters gave him the money needed. It was hilarious, in a ‘he’s such a disgusting person for trying to steal’ way.

And here I sit now, contemplating the rest of the day. All we have left is to meet at 5:30 to go to the park for our cookout, which is our goodbye party. After that, we plan on going out dancing together, including the lovely Frau Weber, whom I will miss terribly. I can’t help but think about everything I will miss about this city. I can’t think of a single thing that I dislike here. When I say I want to, or rather will live here, I’m not joking. For at least a few years I am going to live here after graduation. It feels so right to me. And it’s not just the city that’s made me feel so comfortable, it’s the experiences I’ve had here. It’s almost as if being here and doing what I have has been a way to self-discovery. I feel as if I’ve found pieces of myself that have been missing for all my life. Everything will be different after this trip, but not in a negative way. Definitely not. I find sorrow in having to leave, but joy in being able to return, which is a definitely in my future.

REGINA: Final Thoughts

Do we really have to go back?

While I’ve been missing the conveniences of home, and missing the people that I’m close to, there’s a big part of me that is not looking forward to going back to the United States. I feel as though, having had this experience, that when I go back there, the people will seem incredibly uncultured and just inferior to the people in Germany. I kind of wish that I had been born in Germany and grown up here speaking German as my first language, instead of having been raised in South Carolina and speaking English.

I just… after having been here, I fail to see why America thinks itself so superior to everybody else in the world. While America has a lot of benefits, I feel that the way that its set up is incredibly backwards and inferior to how countries like Germany have set themselves up to be.

I guess that while you become more worldly and independent when you travel, it makes you see the negative aspects of where you come from (although, to be honest, I have already doubted for a long time how great America claims itself to be). In all, I’ve been very happy with my experience here, although now I worry that I will find America lacking as compared to all that Germany has to offer. Not to say that Germany doesn’t have its bad points. It’s incredibly expensive to buy things over here (clothes and shoes, for instance). In the school system, you don’t have as much of an ability to change your mind about what you want to do and what you want to study as you do in America. Overall, though, I’ve enjoyed Germany a lot more than I’ve ever enjoyed America.

I think that studying abroad is incredibly beneficial, and that if given the opportunity to do so, everyone should give it a try. This has been a life-changing experience for me, and it’s one that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. It’s allowed me to see things on more of a global perspective instead of just worrying about what’s going on locally. I think that a lot of the world’s problems would be eliminated if people were given the opportunity to study abroad and observe a different culture for an extended amount of time. If everyone thought on a global perspective, I think that countries would be able to work out existing issues and many potential issues that could come up later could be prevented.

ANNABELLE: Final Thoughts

As our time in Germany comes to an end I have mixed feelings about my experience in Germany. Although I am looking forward to seeing and sharing my pictures with my family, friends and kitty, I am sad that our adventure is coming to an end. I want to take in as much as possible, from taking random videos of our group going out to dinner and skipping down the street to filming the outside of our Jugendherberge (Hostel). There is nothing that I regret or want to forget from this trip and experience. I now understand what Herr Coffman meant when he said that going on this study abroad would change our lives, as it had his. This trip has taught me so much about not only myself but everyone on this trip. I feel like I’ve gained so much during my time in Germany; from new, close friendships to my German improving exponentially. It was interesting to see how being immersed in the language and culture effected all of us. Genie told me that one night she heard me talking in my sleep in German which I found amusing and surprising. Words I had learned years ago would come to me at random moments. It was as if the more time I spent here the more my mind opened up. I also couldn’t have asked for a better teacher at the Hochschule, Frau Weber was so sweet , spunky and gave us amazing insight into German culture and perspective. I wish that she could come back to the U.S. with us. I also loved my time spent with Bo and Hendrik. I will miss them both so much, but thankfully for Facebook we can keep in contact easily. I feel like we are all bonded by this experience, including our Minnesotan and Jordanian friends. I wish they too could come back to Upstate with us. We often talk about how we haven’t realized that we’re about to separate from one another because we all feel like one big family. We have a real understanding of one another because we’ve seen one another at every level of exhaustion, low blood sugar, happiness and moodswings. I’m not typically one to be overly affectionate and gushy, but I love everyone on this trip and am so glad that I met every single one of them. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to study abroad this summer. So I thank Herr Coffman, Hendrik,Bo, Frau Weber, my parents for sending me on this trip and everyone who came on this trip. I would also like to thank everyone for putting up with my own mood swings, and to Genie for waking me up every morning and being my roommate. I will miss this experience.

BRITTANY: Final Thoughts

Looking back on this trip, it was everything I had hoped for and nothing I had expected. I did not know what to expect of Germany. Coming into this trip I was very nervous. I was afraid of what the other people on the trip would be like, and I was afraid of going to a country where I could not understand much. All I knew was I wanted an amazing adventure, and that is exactly what I got. I have seen so much and met so many interesting people along the way. We live in such a beautiful world, with such amazing people. I have enjoyed the company of everyone I have come across in Germany, and I can honestly say I am going to miss these people greatly. I have made friends with the group of people from South Carolina, those from Minnesota, and those from Jordan. The thought that I may never get to see these people again saddens me. I hope to keep in touch with everyone, and one day be a big group again. I could not ask for better company.

Coming to Germany has really opened my eyes to the world around me. It is crazy how different one’s culture can be from another’s. There are multiple similarities and differences between Germany and America and it is fascinating to observe these. This trip has really sparked an interest in me. I want to do and see so much more than I have been able to. Traveling to Germany has made me want to get out and observe other parts of the world. I want to see and experience it all! There is so much to do out there, and so many great experiences waiting to be had! I am already planning my next trip abroad!

Overall this trip has been amazing. I am in love with Germany, and I am greatly going to miss this country when I leave. This may have been my first trip to the country, but I am sure it will not be my last. If I could rewind and live the trip all over again I would. I have no regrets for Germany, other than not being able to stay longer. Being here has made me very happy. The experiences, the people, and the places have all been amazing. I feel blessed. I could not ask for anything better.

SABRINA: Final Thoughts

Germany has been an amazing experience. I really do not want to go back to the States! Before I left, I had last minute worries  and it never hit me that I was leaving home until I and some friends went to see “The Hangover Part 2” and I saw the clip of them taking off to Thailand. I looked at my friends and I was like, "I'm leaving for Europe tomorrow, guys..." It took all the strength I had to get on that plane. It was my first time on a plane, and my first time leaving the country. But nine hours later (all but like 2 of which a baby screamed) we safely landed in Munich. Then a quick run to the next plane and we were off again. 2 hours later, we landed safely in Berlin and had to march off to find our hostel.

When I saw the road to the hostel, I was frightened!  But it was actually pretty nice. Berlin was and still is my favorite part of the Germany trip! Berlin was just so amazing!!! There was so much to do and see, and also where my "why am I going to Germany" fears went away because I could order food and drink.

There were very few moments where I realized I was in a different country. One of those was when we went out on the river and watched people dance. Oh, I wish every night could have been like that night. It was so...  serene or something, everybody was happy and just having fun. I wasn't too happy to leave Berlin, and even less happy to see Magdeburg. I have to admit though, the place has grown on me. I still think it's sleepy, but I still wouldn't mind staying here for a few more weeks or years. Every day we have done something, which I really have enjoyed because I think I would have been miserable if I just had to sit around the city all day!! There was only one day I did not go out, nothing was planned, and I was sick. So I chose a great day to be sick :)

When class started, I thought I was going to cry! I was put in the more advanced class with people that have had SEVERAL semesters of German! Frau Weber was like: GermangermangermangermanDeutschdeutschdeutsch!! And I was like: ???????!!!!!!!! *cry* but I kept to it and I've made it through. I feel that I can better understand German. I really enjoyed the class and Frau Weber. I'm going to miss everything about it (except for that Abschlusspruefung....that was harsh).

I met so many great people that I'm going to hate to leave! Emma and TJ are great, and the Jordanians are really nice too, Yanal is my favorite though. And I love Hendrik and Bo!! We're all friends on Facebook, but who really talks to Facebook friends? I'm going to miss most of the things in Germany. My list of things I won't miss will be shorter though: nasty German water (tap and bottled), expensive drinks, paying for bathrooms, smelling cigarettes everywhere, seeing the same people EVERY DAY, the smells of Germany, recycling bottles and Pfands, bipolar weather, no air conditioning, and difficulty with language barriers. Everything else I'm going to miss.

Today has been very sad. Because it hit me that I'm going to head back home, and I'm going to leave most of the people I've met, and I'm going to have to go back to my boring life. I don't want to leave Europe! I want to stay here! The lifestyle seems much healthier! I'm going to miss walking everywhere and having good quality food! I honestly think I'll move to Germany one day. I've loved this trip so much and I'm not ready for it to end, but I know every good thing has to come to an end. I'm so grateful I got this opportunity, I'm going to miss being here so much!

REGINA: A rich history

I think something that we miss out on in America is having the experience of living in a very old country. I mean, compare Germany to America. Germany has houses that are more than twice as old as America as a country is.

Now, relative to its age, America has made a lot out of itself. But there’s so much more culture to be found in a country with a history as long as Germany’s. A great deal of the most famous composers in history came from Germany, or, if not Germany, from German-speaking countries. There are so many different types of architecture to be found in Germany, too. I’m not a big fan of older American architecture, but even in the large, over-the-top buildings that can be found in Germany, there’s something incredibly charming which I feel American architecture lacks. And a lot of it is incredibly well preserved.

You can go and find houses that people lived in 400 years ago fairly easily. I think it’s incredible that there are buildings to be found here that are older than America is.

Being as old as it is, and having had so many great people and things that have come out of Germany, it’s a wonder that Germans are so humble. America really doesn’t have any excuse to be as cocky and full of itself as it is. Germany, and Europe in general, has been around so much longer and has done so much more; it’s just insane how proud Americans are to live there when we’ve done so little in comparison.

I feel as though instead of so much focus on the history of the United States in K12, there should be more of a focus on what the rest of the world has been doing as well (my own experiences being that, until I got to USC Upstate, essentially nothing beyond what concerned America specifically was discussed in school). I think that if we were to teach our students more about the world around us, maybe Americans would stop thinking that they’re the best there is and see that there are other countries out there that are just as great, and in some cases, better, than our own.

GENIE: Toilet Paper and Zucchini

For several days there has been an annoying group of children at the Jugendherberge. All day and night they would run up and down the halls screaming, laughing, jumping and being just plain stupid. Annabelle and I actually complained once because they kept knocking on our doors and then running away. And not just knocking really. They would slam their fists on the door and then sprint off. We had to come up with our own secret knock so we wouldn’t keep opening the door for no one. It was driving everyone insane. We started fighting back eventually. The best moment was when Annabelle, Chris, Yanal and I were on the elevator. We had just been joking about Yanal yelling at the kids in Arabic if they tried to get on when the elevator stopped at the 3^rd floor on the way to the 5^th. When the door opened several loud children began to shove their way onto the tiny elevator. Yanal puts on a serious, borderline crazy-eyed, face and began to slowly walk towards them while he prattled on in Arabic, gradually getting louder and louder. They kids booked it back out of the elevator! It was so funny! Throughout that day and evening we stood up; Annabelle yelled at them in English to stop knocking on our door, and when they did it two minutes after she said that I opened the door and screamed something in Deutsch along the lines of “Shut your f#$@ing mouths” and then slammed the door (one of the kids looked like he was going to crap his pants when he saw his death in my eyes) and then TJ and Emma wrapped toilet paper around their faces like mummies and harassed the kids in the hall a bit. It was great.

After the Yanal incident some of us went to a cookout on the school campus. It was a lot of fun to mingle with the German students and have delicious grilled food and free drinks! We ended up staying for a long time and drinking and laughing with the other students. They steak they had there was fantastic, and the salad was to die for. They also had this grilled slab of cheese you could eat and it was heavenly! Afterwards we walked all the way home, which was lovely and felt great after we stuffed our faces.

The next day (Wednesday) we had our final. It was intense. Six pages long plus an oral exam. There was one entire section of the test on Rotkäppchen that blew my mind, and not in a good way. I had no idea what I was doing! But thankfully, Frau Weber said we all passed. Regardless, we were all drained after that exam, and it was relaxing to meet up at 2:00 to go bake some Brötchen. Finding the place was weird though. It was very sketchy and for a hot minute I thought Bo was taking us to our deaths where someone had paid him to deliver a bunch of students to the ghetto where our bodies would be used in various experiments. It ended up being a lovely building with many lush plants in the surrounding area. It was all very natural. When making the bread we even ground the grain there. It was fun kneading the dough and making various spreads. We even made hand-made salads and dressings.

While the bread was baking we were taken on a tour of the grounds by the head honcho, Frank. He showed us the old building that had once been used as a classroom or recovery room for sick patients. Those who had lung problems could lay down and the windows would open and they would get clean, fresh air even though they were in the middle of the city. We also saw many gardens where they grew their own fruits and vegetables. There was a zucchini the size of my arm! I wanted to eat it so badly.

Eventually the food was ready and we feasted upon our brötchen and salad. It was fantastic. My favorite spread was one that was made with a yogurt-like base and had many herbs and onions in it. There was a delicious mustard salad dressing that I was in love with as well, and the homemade peppermint tea was addictive. After the dinner we had some cake the women made for us that contained a little coconut, strawberries, rhubarb and something else. Maybe peaches or apples. It was amazing.

It rained very hard on the way back to the hostel, but we didn’t mind. Several of us got together as a sort of celebration of being finished with our final exam in one of the hostel rooms and we danced and talked and had a great time!

Today, after class, we went to the area of the Elbauenpark. We went into the Schmetterlinghaus (butterfly house) and saw several lovely plants, birds, fish and insects. I loved it in there and wanted to stay longer.

After that we went rock wall climbing! I almost didn’t do it, but I’m glad I did. I tried all three heights, the largest being 25 meters. The shortest one was bizarrely the most difficult, and the mid-sized one was easiest. I wish I had made it to the top of the largest one but my arms got so tired. I only made it a bit over half-way before I had to stop. I physically could move no more. It was so much fun though! I really enjoyed it and I’m glad I took the opportunity.

I’m exhausted now though. It’s been a physically and mentally draining week so far! I look forward to sleep tonight and our good bye cookout tomorrow evening. :-)

ANNABELLE: One big family now

Besides the many excursions we have gone on during our time in Germany, I would say the most uplifting and life altering aspect of this trip would be the random, smaller activities around Magdeburg.

There have been countless moments where I have thought to myself that I never want to leave and how happy I am here. Walking to the park several evenings a week with friends and finding our way back to the hostel is a relaxing and pure experience.

Although Magdeburg is not a metropolis or raging city, I have really enjoyed being a quasi resident of this area. Early this week I bought a handmade purse from a Ugandan woman and thought to myself how I feel reinvigorated by life and less burdened than I had been feeling in the previous semester. At times I have thought that the everyday stresses and pressures of college life can be so very overwhelming and draining. Since I’ve been here I’ve been so carefree and content.

I have also wondered if my separation from a cell phone and being inundated with negative American politics and news has had a beneficial and cathartic effect on my disposition. I have loved my random activities from taking the bus around town exploring, to going to Curry 54 for some 4,00 Currywursts and Pommes, to buying trinkets and presents for myself and loved ones. Everyone on this trip is like one big family now, sharing food and making fun of one another. I feel like I will always be connected to everyone on this adventure to Germany.

BRITTANY: Cultural Differences and Random Thoughts About Germany

I find it interesting that all of the music I have heard in Germany has been American music. I have to admit, I was slightly disappointed. I wanted to go to Germany and buy some really good German music, but according to Hendrick, our go to man for Magdeburg, Germany does not really have music in German.

I have also realized that almost everyone in Germany is at least bilingual. I have even come across many people who can speak three or four languages. It makes me wonder how the school system is set up and how these people seem to be able to switch from one language to another with such ease. Why isn’t the American school system allowing for its students to become bilingual?

As far as German fashion goes, Germans seem to be stuck in the 90’s. The clothes fit differently and there seem to be mullets everywhere. Definitely one of the most unattractive hairstyles there is! I wonder why none of the many people with mullets realize how silly their hair looks.

Germans seem to absolutely love their dogs. They literally take them everywhere with them. I love this. I would take my dog everywhere with me if I could. The dogs in Germany are even allowed in the restaurants with their owners. This would not go over well in America. The dogs seem to be better behaved here. I have heard very few bark, or beg while in a restaurant. They are all very friendly, and much more in shape than American dogs. This is probably because they get to walk and get out on a daily basis.

Many places in Germany don’t have air conditioning. At first it was uncomfortable, but I have seemed to adjust to it. The nights are cool, so with an open window, it is comfortable. I could not imagine not having air in South Carolina!

There are no free refills for drinks in Germany. This can get expensive. Also, water isn’t free like it is back home. Many times alcohol is cheaper than water, which isn’t a problem, Germans have very good beer! You don’t tip waiters in Germany, which is nice. The money you would be tipping them goes to a drink refill.

Public transportation is so much better in Germany than it is back in the States. It seems like it is easier and cheaper here to take the bus or the street car than to actually drive somewhere. Sometimes you have to walk a little farther to get on the right bus, but the walking is nice. It’s nice to be outside, and it forces you to get exercise.

I love to see the differences between Germany and the United States. I’m really going to miss Germany when I leave. I have learned so much about people on this trip. I hope to come back and see and learn more.

DUSTIN: Baking Bread

Today was a good day I took my final exam I baked Brötchen, made some salad dressing, and had a fresh cooked meal. The day started out stressful, I woke up looked over my notes and head to school. I got to school at about eight o’clock. When the class started at eight thirty and the teacher told us we had until nine to study. When nine o’clock came she walked us over to the other class room where the test was being administered. When I got it I finished really quickly, in about thirty minutes, we where give an hour and a half. It feels good that after today we have no more grades in class, but we still have to go though.

Late today we went to this place that was in the middle of a neighborhood. When we walked into the front gate, it seemed like we were walking into a horror movie because there was a long dirt road which lead to a house, which turned out to be part of the old fortifications of Magdeburg. When we go to the house no one came out to great us, so we were standing there in the middle of a yard with random animal noises. But eventually our guide and head cook man come out and brought us up to the cooking room. First impression of the place was, there is no way I want to eat anything that I make here. I have to say the first impression isn’t always the right impression.

When he took us up to the room we started the process of Brötchen backen. The first step is to grind out grains and mix it with salt, yeast, and water. Altogether that part took like 15 minutes.  Then we had to knead the dough for 10 minutes.

Then it came time for me to put my culinary skills to the test and try to make salad dressing. It was difficult but with the help of top chief and translator Coffman and some German lady that was there I did it. I made some kind of mustard, honey based salad dressing. I have to say without them I couldn’t have done it, the whole recipe was in German. I now know the difference between an Esslöffel, and a Teelöffel. An EL is a table spoon and a TL is a teaspoon.

While the Brötchen was baking he gave us a tour of the grounds. It was pretty amazing because we got to go into a part of the old bunker. That was cool, I realize now how short everyone was back in the day. I almost had to duck when I went through the door.

When Brötchen was finished we chowed down. There is nothing better than fresh baked Brötchen and freshly made salad, dips, salad dressing, and cake. I enjoyed the day, and I wish I had the recipes for all that stuff we made today, because I would love to make it at home.

KENDALL: Transportation

My transportation through Germany began with an airplane ride from Munich to Berlin. Since then, I have taken trains, trolleys, buses, and taxis. I had never ridden any of those but a plane in the US. My experience has been that you can get pretty much anywhere you want here without owning a car, and in a reasonable amount of time. I am not sure about the cost effectiveness, but considering gas prices in the US it is probably comparable. My plane ride over here was a little rough, the service was good and I had plenty of room and a good seat neighbor, but there were unfortunately at least 3 unhappy babies in the area that stayed unhappy nearly the entire flight.

We have taken train rides several times, while some of them have been long, it was much easier to deal with than a flight and cheaper. It is funny to watch what happens when a group of 10 Americans get on a train or any transportation really. If you close your eyes, you would think we are the only ones on the train. Germans tend to be pretty quite on trains and such even when in groups.

We ride the trolley to school every morning, it isn't something like the school bus where if you miss it you are screwed, they come every ten minutes, and go most anywhere, so you never have to wait too long. The are decently fast, although certainly slower than a car.

The buses run some places that the trolleys don't but they aren't as nice or dependable. I have only ridden them once or twice. We had to take a taxi once to get to a beach, the driver was pissy and didn't want to take us until Jay convinced him too. I had to ride in the front seat, which was ridiculously small, my head was touching the ceiling and my knees were touching the dash.

Overall I am very impressed with the transportation here and wish the US had a shadow of the system Germany has.