Home

The highlight of the program for me was getting to learn more and practice more German. I enjoyed meeting new people, though I wish I had gotten to know more. I really felt like the initial hostility we felt resounded with me the whole time and I really didn't even feel like making an effort to get to know some of the people. If I could do it over, I would do it differently. Hindsight is always 20/20, though, right? I enjoyed the Studentenclub and it was especially bittersweet the last night, saying goodbyes to everyone there. I was really touched by some of the people there. I loved living in the dorms, very much so. One of the memories I will always have is the lovely people at the Milchbar in town. I really loved them, so sweet. They made us promise to come back and visit them again if we ever come back to Ilmenau. I really do plan on returning and keeping my promise. I don't know when I will ever be able to afford to again, but I hope to still. I met some amazing people and I have hopefully made some lifetime friends.

The most surprising thing for me about German culture is how they are able to spot a foreigner from a mile away. They make it well-known that they know you are a foreigner, too. That was really uncomfortable for me. I like being able to blend in, and it was a little difficult for me to accept that I can never blend in as a European, haha. I was impressed by their healthcare system; from the Apotheken to the inexpensiveness of seeing a doctor. I was quite taken aback by their different perspective on the human body and lack of... modesty? I was also really impressed by the accessibility of recycling for bottles and the all-over separation of recyclables. Really refreshing.

I think my vocabulary has improved these three weeks, and definitely my conversation. I feel like toward the end I just got so tired of trying so hard. I think I gave up giving it my all toward the end. I know how to tell creeps to "get lost" and I have learned various useful phrases during my stay.

I am just so glad to be home. Being out of your comfort zone for that long really makes a person irratable,least that's how I found myself. Europe (and the German Plague) physically exhausted me and I found my patience running VERY short with a lot of people. I think living with people in those close quarters for such an extended time will, in general, make you notice the things you hate about others. I would do it again in a heartbeat, though.

Eisenach

I wasn't too terribly impressed with the city of Eisenach-- the city itself was really nothing special. The Wartburg, however, was beautiful. I could understand the most of this tourguide. I think the mosaic room was the most impressionable. The walls were covered in beautiful murals made of mosaics. Absolutely stunning. I wasn't able to get pictures of it, however, because my camera batteries had died.

The best part of this excursion was the beauty of the Wartburg, the worst was that the city itself was so... whatever.

Erfurt/Winding Down

Erfurt is beautiful. I keep saying that about all of these towns, but I really like Erfurt a lot. The architecture there is beautiful. Amanda, Kristin and I actually went back there yesterday. It was really fun and we got shopping done. We even did the bus thing all by ourselves. :) I think what surprised me about Erfurt was the really quiet streetcars that will run you over. They are everywhere! The best part of Erfurt was the beauty of it all and the worst was not having enough time to explore while the whole group was there.


I really liked the course for the most part, though I felt like a lot of the small details were not worked out as well as they should have been. I also wish that the Russians had been quieter, but overall that is probably my biggest complaint. I really enjoyed the experience and I have made lifetime friends here.

I have no idea what my class is preparing for the closing program. It was going to be a song and I was happy with that, but then it turned into a quiz show. Today someone suggested something else, too but I was too tired to figure out what it was. It was in russian and I gave up.

I feel as though returning home will be bittersweet for me. I am looking forward to the comforts of home and a warm, cozy bed (without scabies), but I have made friends here and had so many great experiences that the thought of leaving makes me a little sad. We have learned to make the best of everything here and I can honestly say that I would love to come back and I plan on doing so. I could live here, I really could. It's refreshing to see how society works over here, how efficient and environmentally-concerned they are. It makes me hopeful because I see that it works. Very refreshing. Love it.

In lieu of Bergfest...

I got to experience German healthcare first hand! It was a traumatizing experience, as it involved me walking half-naked into a room of german radiographers without a gown or anything to cover up. It was really confusing because I wasn't sure what they were telling me and I was flustered/embarrassed because I was naked in front of a lot of people. They definitely have a different perspective when it comes to privacy and the human body over here. I think as Americans, we are much more private, and I like that. :) I thought it was amazing how the socialism worked in the healthcare aspect. As an student from out of the country, I had to pay for everything up front, including my x-ray (31 euro), the office call (26 euro) and the meds (17 euro.) It would have been a fortune in the states. Plus, I should be reimbursed by my insurance company when I go back home. It would be amazing if the states offered xrays for 31 dollars, can you imagine? I was impressed. And horrified. :)

Berlin

Berlin was beautiful. It is such a lovely mix of old and new. I didn't really feel like we had enough time to see all of the city, and that is a shame. The Brandenburger Tor impressed me the most. It surprised me how "bombastic" some of the architecture was, to quote the tour guide on the bus, haha. The racially insensitive sign on the ice cream parlor surprised me the most. The best part of this excursion was how beautiful it was, the worst was not having enough time and the expensiveness of Berlin!

Week 2

This post is coming a little late, but that is okay, I suppose. We have visited the inner city quite a lot and have frequented a few of the restaurants and cafes there. I love it. The local inhabitants still stare and sometimes I really wish they wouldn't but I am getting over it. The owner of the little cafe we went to called the Milk Bar was so sweet to us and she told us that our German wasn't too bad. We talked to her about how much we love it here and how we wish we could move here. Her and her son's response to that was well why not? I wish it were that easy. They think that Americans aren't stressed out at all and we told them that that is how we feel about their country.

I am currently frustrated with the loud nighttime Russians that run through our hallways. I have discovered that after a few beers, it doesn't keep me up anymore. I am also almost completely recovered from the German Plague, haha. I am more confident in my speaking abilities this week, as well. I am picking up so much vocab from class and I have decided that I want to be a Betreurin next year! I really want to come back to Ilmenau sometime in the future and maybe that will open up some opportunities for me.

I have been trying to get to the club to meet up with our favorite German here, Sebastian. We have all been having a lot of fun at the student clubs at night. During the day we are mostly busy with class and the Mensa, and the club is a good way to entspannen, haha. I think we are going to go to a concert tonight, too. Exciting!

Weimar/Buchenwald

Weimar is beautiful. I loved all of the architecture there and the details. I liked the Schiller/Goethe statue the best, I think-- and the old man yelling at all of us because he wanted to get a picture without people in it! Haha. The most surprising thing about the city is how much history there is packed into one town. I loved it.

Buchenwald was a different story. Though I feel it was necessary, it was very hard to visit. The physical heaviness upon entrance was saddening. Buchenwald broke me. I don't know if there really is a best part of Buchenwald-- maybe just that it exists so that people may never forget or claim it didn't. The worst part was some of the irreverent things people did there and the feeling that is there. I thought that the handout from Frau Page was very informative and helpful. I don't have any pictures of Buchenwald to post because I didn't feel it was respectful to take pictures.

I take that back, I think the worst part of Buchenwald I actually realized on the busride back home. Seeing the proximity of Buchenwald to Weimar and knowing that people in Weimar did nothing was the worst part. There is no way they didn't know what was going on there. Sickening, absolutely sickening. I wanted to punch some of the people there, too. Visiting Buchenwald made me feel a little less confident in people.