This weekend we got to enjoy what a beautiful place that Heidelberg, Germany is. I was lucky enough to be able to share this experience with my boyfriend. He came all the way to Europe to spend Thanksgiving with me, as well as getting to do some traveling himself. I was thrilled to be able to share with him some of the experiences that I get as a study abroad student. Also, I got to show him what goes on during my days in Europe. This is when I realized how boring my daily life here is, it is just how it would be back home in West Virginia, except in France. And before, I hear anyone nag at me about "You're in France, you're not living it up to your fullest potential", here is my reply, France has been here for thousands of years. I'm sure it will be here for thousands of more years. I will take more opportunities when I have more cash. So give it a rest.
Heidelberg, on the other hand, was a wonderful change in that monotony. I had plans to take my boyfriend to Stuttgart or Paris, but didn't count on how expensive both plans were going to be, so I just showed him around the Chateau park, and Strasbourg itself. Heidelberg was a gorgeous little city that sits around the Neckar river. It also hold Castle Schloss, a gigantic ruin of an old castle. Me and my boyfriend walked around the city going through the various Christmas markets. The best part of going through the Christmas markets there was the food. Bratwursts, steak sandwiches, roasted almonds, gummies, Gluhwien, and beer were the highlight of the trip for us. However, you had to pay cash for everything there. This city is not a fan of plastic. And in the city with the longest shopping street in Germany, you would think that there would be more ATMs, but that was not the case. It took forever to find a bank or ATM in that damn city. We also noticed a large quantity of English speaking people there due to the large army base located in Heidelberg. The Castle Schloss was another wonderful aspect of the city. It had a perfect view of the city and the river. I love castles because they hold so much history and culture all rolled into one building. I always have some interest in seeing castles because of what details they contain.
Unfortunately Heidelberg was the end of my boyfriends stay. Only three more weeks left of the semester though. After Heidelberg we went to Frankfurt for his flight the next morning. However, we woke up an hour and a half before his flight, causing him to almost miss it. Talk about a tense time. It worked out ok though and the rushed goodbye to each other kept me from breaking down in tears in the middle of the Frankfurt airport. I am very happy and THANKFUL that I got to share a little slice of my new European life with someone from home.
11/30/2011
11/29/2011
Do Work!
This semester has ran away. I don't know where it went. Now it is time to get down to business. I'm two papers in, and showing no sign of slowing down. It's so weird that all of this has caught up with us. It's not like I'm opposed to work, but I have come to the conclusion the french education isn't for me. The only part I would like is the price, that would be swell.
I never thought I'd be excited to go back to WVU to do work. I can't wait to have a syllabus with actual things on it. I can be organized again. I feel like I have been running around in circles all semester. I can just plan things, and know when things are due. I also will know how to do what is due, when it is due. Some would think this blog is a sick joke(especially my close friends if they read it), but I am so serious.
I am just hopping that paper for international business went well. I did more than enough research, but I'm still nervous. Now let's just get through these next two exams. I just feel like I'm not quite prepared. This semester I was sitting there taking it all in, but I don't have it now. Shew time to start praying here we do.
A Colorful Week
Last week was surely a colorful one. When I first heard of the soon arrival of 22 additional students, I was not pleased. It wasn't that I didn't want to meet new people, it's just there's like a million people here already. The last thing I wanted to do was have to share that kitchen with more people. So I was on the anti- DeVry wagon.
Little did I know that was the one of my best weeks in Europe. They were so much fun. I was glad they were here for the holiday. I was longing for home that week. It made me sad that I was missing out on spending time with my family and friends. And of course I missed out on that GOOD food. Not saying that the culinary food wasn't good, it was, but it wasn't like home.
I know a little people didn't like them. Everyone isn't for everybody, but I'd hate to miss out on wondeful people. They made me feel like I was at home, and I was around my family. We could sing songs, play dominos, or just take time to just spend time.
My favorite part about it was the motivtional speech Reeva and received. Two of the women sat us down and told us they were proud of us. They filled us in on their lives. I almost teared up, I felt it in my soul. It made me feel so inspired. Such a great experience it was, and I am so greateful for it.
11/27/2011
I need me some more Heidelberg!
Heidelberg is on my top list of the best places I have visited since coming to Europe. Small, clean town not too crowded even though our tour guide informed us that there are 140,000 Heidelbergers, on top the three million visitors per year, was vibrant with life! The cobblestone roads and narrow pathways were very clean, something I have not been used to seeing in Europe, and the vendors in the Christmas markets were very friendly and surprisingly, they spoke English as a matter of fact. Other than the knickknacks in the markets, I did not feel like a stranger at all. Sherell, Macy, Tyler C and myself decided to have lunch at the Subway, I was in line when the person behind me asked me where we were from, to my surprise he was from the State of Washington, and he too was visiting Heidelberg, the employees at the Subway spoke English too, we really felt like we were home, then later we went to Starbucks, now seriously, for a minute I forgot I was in Europe.
Finally we took the cable car and up we went to the ruins of the 15th Century Castle. Sadly we were not in the company of a tour guide, so we could not see the actual rooms of the castle, but we visited the museum and read quite a bit on the history of pharmaceutical engineering. Looking at the many gadgets that the pharmacists of a long time ago used to use in creation of medicament's, it is unbelievable how far this industry has come. Looking just at the structure of the castle, the blocks of stones that were used to build it, I concur with the tour guide's information that Heidelberg was completely burned down during the war, the only remaining thing was the castle.
If I was asked where in Europe I would like to return for a personal trip, definitely without a doubt, it would be Heidelberg. The street adjacent to the river by itself is enough attraction to just stand and watch the boats moving slowly on the waters, and the bridge across the river gives one a whole view of the city of Heidelberg, even though the tour guide said the houses and apartments across the river "the sunshine place" are very expensive, I would wish to live on that side of Heidelberg, if ever I decided to come back to Heidelberg.
All in all our visit was very enjoyable and very fulfilling. - Caroline
Finally we took the cable car and up we went to the ruins of the 15th Century Castle. Sadly we were not in the company of a tour guide, so we could not see the actual rooms of the castle, but we visited the museum and read quite a bit on the history of pharmaceutical engineering. Looking at the many gadgets that the pharmacists of a long time ago used to use in creation of medicament's, it is unbelievable how far this industry has come. Looking just at the structure of the castle, the blocks of stones that were used to build it, I concur with the tour guide's information that Heidelberg was completely burned down during the war, the only remaining thing was the castle.
If I was asked where in Europe I would like to return for a personal trip, definitely without a doubt, it would be Heidelberg. The street adjacent to the river by itself is enough attraction to just stand and watch the boats moving slowly on the waters, and the bridge across the river gives one a whole view of the city of Heidelberg, even though the tour guide said the houses and apartments across the river "the sunshine place" are very expensive, I would wish to live on that side of Heidelberg, if ever I decided to come back to Heidelberg.
All in all our visit was very enjoyable and very fulfilling. - Caroline
What's up with us?
It’s becoming more difficult for me to think of blog entry topics! (It's a real shame that I don’t want to lump my peers into one homogeneous group and chastise/ complain about them.)
I suppose it is worth mentioning that we had our last group excursion yesterday, to Heidelberg, Germany. This was our first “cultural” excursion in quite some time and therefore it felt kind of random/ unusual. On the bright side, it was a nice change of pace from independent travel, institutional visits, and university happenings. However, I felt quite tired. I don’t think I was physically tired, just tired of travelling. I didn’t think I would get to that point, but it happened. It just felt almost like a chore to get on the bus and participate with the plans for the day. I was fully aware of how difficult I was making the day for myself and did my best to get around that funk. In the end, I really enjoyed the day. I think I learned a lot. I got to experience my first German Christmas market, visit (but not really visit) a castle, and learn more about the German language. It was certainly an interesting day.
Overall, I think that if we're growing, we're changing.. people don't stay the same..
I guess what I'm try to say is that it's been quite an experience so far. I've learned a lot about myself and about others throughout all my travels. Even if I'm feeling tired, I know it's important to make every minute matter, and to reflect on everything that I've been experiencing.
Peace.
-Maria
I suppose it is worth mentioning that we had our last group excursion yesterday, to Heidelberg, Germany. This was our first “cultural” excursion in quite some time and therefore it felt kind of random/ unusual. On the bright side, it was a nice change of pace from independent travel, institutional visits, and university happenings. However, I felt quite tired. I don’t think I was physically tired, just tired of travelling. I didn’t think I would get to that point, but it happened. It just felt almost like a chore to get on the bus and participate with the plans for the day. I was fully aware of how difficult I was making the day for myself and did my best to get around that funk. In the end, I really enjoyed the day. I think I learned a lot. I got to experience my first German Christmas market, visit (but not really visit) a castle, and learn more about the German language. It was certainly an interesting day.
Overall, I think that if we're growing, we're changing.. people don't stay the same..
I guess what I'm try to say is that it's been quite an experience so far. I've learned a lot about myself and about others throughout all my travels. Even if I'm feeling tired, I know it's important to make every minute matter, and to reflect on everything that I've been experiencing.
Peace.
-Maria
Heidelberg
Yesterday we went on our final group excursion to Heidelberg, Germany. It was a very cute town but I could never see myself living there because it was incredibly touristy. The parts that I enjoyed were the delicious food at the Christmas markets as well as the giant, half-destroyed castle that is sitting on the hill. What I didn't enjoy was being sick and surrounded by hundreds of Asian tourists.
The Christmas markets did remind me that I will be back in the United States by the time Christmas arrives. While I would not mind staying in Europe and spending Christmas here, I am looking forward to seeing my family again. Spending Thanksgiving here was a lot of fun but it was the first time during this entire trip that I missed home. When I arrive in the US, it will be 21 December and my family will already be running around crazy trying to get everything ready for Christmas Ever and Christmas Day. There will be a lot of unnecessary cleaning and cooking but I am hoping to opt out with jet-lag as my excuse.
The first few weeks in Strasbourg I talked to my friends almost everyday and we talked about what we would do when I got back. Now that it is getting close to me returning, it seems like we have started the pattern over again but it is more exciting because I know it won't be very long. Of course I will miss all the people I met here but I see it as an excuse to come back.
-Rachel Cooper
The Christmas markets did remind me that I will be back in the United States by the time Christmas arrives. While I would not mind staying in Europe and spending Christmas here, I am looking forward to seeing my family again. Spending Thanksgiving here was a lot of fun but it was the first time during this entire trip that I missed home. When I arrive in the US, it will be 21 December and my family will already be running around crazy trying to get everything ready for Christmas Ever and Christmas Day. There will be a lot of unnecessary cleaning and cooking but I am hoping to opt out with jet-lag as my excuse.
The first few weeks in Strasbourg I talked to my friends almost everyday and we talked about what we would do when I got back. Now that it is getting close to me returning, it seems like we have started the pattern over again but it is more exciting because I know it won't be very long. Of course I will miss all the people I met here but I see it as an excuse to come back.
-Rachel Cooper
On exotic places
This weekend, our group explored Heidelberg, a cute German town that provided a castle ruin for us to (semi) explore. Besides this castle, we got to see a traditional Christmas market, which was also full of cuteness. I got to try some German sausage for an extremely cheap price.
Having gone to so many places though, Heidelberg was fun, but stands out as nothing extraordinarily special. I think it might be because I’ve traveled so much and done so many things—I’m quite traveled out. Heidelberg would have impressed me had I gone as soon as I arrived. Now though, I can enjoy it, but I can also file it under, “nothing special.”
I always used to wonder why Europeans were less enthusiastic about traveling around their continent. In a movie called, “In Bruges,” an Irish character talks about the cute medieval town Bruges, saying, “Ken, I grew up in Dublin. I love Dublin. If I grew up on a farm, and was retarded, Bruges might impress me but I didn't, so it doesn't. ”
Although I am definitely not as cynical or as rude as that character, I now understand why many European choose not to explore their own continent—to them, it’s much less exotic than it is to us. I remember a some French girls once asking me why American don’t travel as much around our country—while one answer is that it’s kinda big, a better one is that it’s all a little boring to us. We’re used to it and crave something way more exotic. Who knows? Maybe when I go back, everything will seem much more exciting to me than it did before.
Доля
I have 21 days left in Strasbourg, in France, in Europe, this side of the Prime Meridian. 21 days left to find myself, to act as an observer, to be removed from my former surroundings, my real life. I was in the midst of a rather convoluted conundrum last night, contemplating whether or not I want to go to law school, and further, whether or not I really want to become a lawyer. I was initially discouraged when I came upon a lengthy article on one of the world news sites that I frequent entailing a detailed list of reasons why someone should not go to law school. Amongst these were: There are too many lawyers in the world right now. Not only that, but they are most likely smarter than you. You will accumulate a monstrous amount of debt, which a fifth of law students never actually pay off. Law school is one of the most stressful experiences possible. Why would you waste three years of your life pursuing a goal the may or may not (most likely not) come to fruition, while simultaneously spending upwards to $100,000 on this venture.
I pondered these rationales long and hard, and then I went down to the bar. I needed someone to talk to, and who better than the eternal optimist, David: Someone who has been more than influential on my frame of mind in these months in Strasbourg. We discussed these inquiries for a few hours, and by the time the bar closed, I felt like I was on top of the world. These people, making these excuses, attempting to deter me from my aspirations, setting frivolous limitations on themselves; I will not may them any mind. For it is me and me alone who is able to will my future. I am the captain of my ship, if you will, and my conscious and effort will ultimately determine my fate; Not those who adopt these various pessimistic attitudes towards life and their careers. These people will never be successful. How can they? They spend their entire lives putting their eggs into two baskets, while ignoring the third basket entirely. They refuse to accept that their concept of rationality and further, their perception of reality is entirely based upon habit-formed ideals heavily ingrained in their conscious through years of lazy self-programming. I will think laterally, rather than focusing on human limitations, these artificial constructs that have held so many back.
Heidelberg was a spectacular little city. The Christmas markets were absolutely wondeful, and though I could not afford to buy food, I was lucky enough to have spent my time with three girls who generously shared their Christmas inspired foodstuffs with me. I was quite content. I would like to return to Heidelberg someday and explore it further. The castle was honestly, less than interesting. We were not able to enter the castle because we didn't have a tour guide, something that CEPA neglected to research. However, the train that we took up the hill to the castle made things worthwhile. Never before have I had the opportunity to ride a train moving up a hill at probably a fifty to sixty degree angle. They should turn that thing into a roller coaster.
Thanksgiving dinner was also entirely memorable. I am not one to get excited over this particular holiday, or holidays in general, but that Thanksgiving dinner, as one eloquent student from Devry put it, was "off the hook". The turkey was not dry at all, a realization that assaulted my senses oh so pleasantly. The potatoes, gravy, and squash soup were also delectable. I once again must commend the culinary students for making even a picky eater such as myself enjoy foods that have never graced my palate.
Today, I will spend my time in the computer lab, pouring my thoughts over this paper on Voss and the Art of travel.
I bid you adieu.
-Tyler Collins
I pondered these rationales long and hard, and then I went down to the bar. I needed someone to talk to, and who better than the eternal optimist, David: Someone who has been more than influential on my frame of mind in these months in Strasbourg. We discussed these inquiries for a few hours, and by the time the bar closed, I felt like I was on top of the world. These people, making these excuses, attempting to deter me from my aspirations, setting frivolous limitations on themselves; I will not may them any mind. For it is me and me alone who is able to will my future. I am the captain of my ship, if you will, and my conscious and effort will ultimately determine my fate; Not those who adopt these various pessimistic attitudes towards life and their careers. These people will never be successful. How can they? They spend their entire lives putting their eggs into two baskets, while ignoring the third basket entirely. They refuse to accept that their concept of rationality and further, their perception of reality is entirely based upon habit-formed ideals heavily ingrained in their conscious through years of lazy self-programming. I will think laterally, rather than focusing on human limitations, these artificial constructs that have held so many back.
Heidelberg was a spectacular little city. The Christmas markets were absolutely wondeful, and though I could not afford to buy food, I was lucky enough to have spent my time with three girls who generously shared their Christmas inspired foodstuffs with me. I was quite content. I would like to return to Heidelberg someday and explore it further. The castle was honestly, less than interesting. We were not able to enter the castle because we didn't have a tour guide, something that CEPA neglected to research. However, the train that we took up the hill to the castle made things worthwhile. Never before have I had the opportunity to ride a train moving up a hill at probably a fifty to sixty degree angle. They should turn that thing into a roller coaster.
Thanksgiving dinner was also entirely memorable. I am not one to get excited over this particular holiday, or holidays in general, but that Thanksgiving dinner, as one eloquent student from Devry put it, was "off the hook". The turkey was not dry at all, a realization that assaulted my senses oh so pleasantly. The potatoes, gravy, and squash soup were also delectable. I once again must commend the culinary students for making even a picky eater such as myself enjoy foods that have never graced my palate.
Today, I will spend my time in the computer lab, pouring my thoughts over this paper on Voss and the Art of travel.
I bid you adieu.
-Tyler Collins
Still not ready
As the semester goes on, I find it more difficult to find topics to write about. Perhaps this is because my traveling has diminished considering all of the cities I had on my bucket list have been visited and because I feel as though I have gotten into the groove of things here in Strasbourg. I no longer feel as though I am a tourist in this town or even lost in this city. I suppose I finally feel as though I am simply living my life here in Strasbourg rather than being the girl that is trying to find the right tram stop to get to the mall. Being here for as long as I have, I can see myself living away from home and setting up in Europe. I have really liked it here in France... more so in Paris and London. I fell in love with both cities and have turned my childish images of each city into cities with job opportunities awaiting me after I graduate. My life after graduation is another question entirely but I am glad to say that this trip has as least directed me and reaffirmed me in my belief of pursuing political science. Knowing this piece of information maybe the only thing I have to go on when I graduate. I have liked my time in Europe and now that I have school and friends, I am not ready to see the end of this semester.
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