Well it's December 3rd which means all you Leute at GVSU are probably studying for finals...hahahahaha. I however, am only halfway through my semester in the land of Bier and Döner. Unfortunately I do have to give a Referat über die Entwicklung der Autoindustrie in Deutschland next Thursday. This means I will attempt to research the German auto industry and why it is just so fantastic...auf Deutsch.
Doing research for this Referat includes ten easy steps!
Step 1: Attempt to read a page from one of the research books. If I'm lucky I will understand three and a half works per sentence.
Step 2: Pick out a few cool sounding words from the page and write those in a notebook
Step 3: Cry for about 45 minutes
Step 4: Get a beer
Step 5: Stare angrily at the research book
Step 6: Get another beer
Step 7: Think about life
Step 8: Get another beer
Step 9: What was I doing?
Step 10: Go to the bar in my basement
Now before you start criticizing my study habits you must understand I am simply exposing myself to the German culture. If I was in the states I would never study in such a way but I am not. Therefore I must learn how to do everything with a beer in hand. It's just one of the things I'll have to get used to. I know it won't be easy but I know I can do it!
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Hanky Panky
If I were to sum up my trip to Berlin this past weekend in one word I would say, schmutzig...but in a good way. The kind of schmutzig that makes you wanna publicly urinate on the nearest graffiti stained building, or throw a burrito at something...I don't even know what I'm saying anymore.
Side note - Hanky Panky is the name of the strip-club that was just a few doors down from my hostel in Berlin!
Our trip started with a Justin Vernon and the Volcano Choir concert (it's the dude from Bon Iver) on Thursday night. Now I know what you're thinking, "How was the concert Ryan!?!?!?!". Well I wish I could tell you but, being the oh-so-clever person that I am, I bought a ticket to see them on Friday night in Düsseldorf! Winning! I could tell you about all the crazy cool dreams I had as I was sleeping alone in the hostel while my friends were in the concert, but I can't remember them (They were good though, I've been having some really awesome dreams lately).
On Friday we began our day the only way American college students know how; with some cheap, filling asian food. After significantly overeating, we had a couple of options: 1. go to Mitte and see the Brandenburger Tor, Bundestag, and Berlin Wall and 2. go to a giant thrift store and buy loads of clothes that you've never heard of so we can look almost half as hip as the Berliners...no not the jelly filled doughnut ones either. Natürlich, we went with option 2. After spending approximately two eternities in the thrift store, we left to go do what else? more shopping. This time at a Turkish flea market! There's just nothing quite like getting barked at in one language that you barely understand and another that sounds like...well I don't know what it sounds like but I don't understand it at all. Nevertheless I was able to walk away with some Norwegian wool socks and a gnartacular hoodie. Woot! woot! Friday night was spent at a beach bar. And by beach bar, I mean a bar with sand covering the entire floor. If you happen to besuchen this bar please do not attempt to build sand castles in the bar-floor sand...bar-floor sand is dirty and will make you dirty.
Side note - Some street performers in Berlin will enter your U-Bahn car and proceed to play clarinet to the the tune of "Let's Get it Started in Here", while you are trapped inside the moving U-Bahn jukebox. So no sir, I will not give you my Geld simply because I am trapped inside of the same U-Bahn car as you and your snazzy clarinet.
Saturday began with a trip to Waffly...the 50's themed waffle diner that plays early 2000's hip hop (Berlin may be the hipster capital of Europe but its music is severely outdated). Having filled our bellys with the waffliest of waffles, we decided we should actually see the sights worth seeing in Berlin. So yes we saw the Bundestag, Brandenburder Tor, and Berlin Wall...and well, they look just like they do in all of the pictures in the interweb. There was a protest going on outside of the Bundestag though! I saw lots of dancing Turkish people as well as many, unsmiling, attempting-to-look-cool, Berlin Polizei. We then visited the Topography of Terror and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. The Topography of Terror is a museum where the old SS headquarters used to be. The entrance is free and it was quite moving/terrirfying. It basically shows how the Nazis came to power through terror. The Jewish memorial was really cool! When you first see it, it appears to simply be a bunch of cement blocks spanning an entire city block. As you walk into the blocks however, you gradually sink into them until you are surrouned by an eerie silence as the blocks are way over your head and you have no idea where you are. Very cool.
And now here I sit, writing a blog post because homework sucks...especially auf deutsch.
Side note - How is no shave November going for everyone?
Side note - Hanky Panky is the name of the strip-club that was just a few doors down from my hostel in Berlin!
Our trip started with a Justin Vernon and the Volcano Choir concert (it's the dude from Bon Iver) on Thursday night. Now I know what you're thinking, "How was the concert Ryan!?!?!?!". Well I wish I could tell you but, being the oh-so-clever person that I am, I bought a ticket to see them on Friday night in Düsseldorf! Winning! I could tell you about all the crazy cool dreams I had as I was sleeping alone in the hostel while my friends were in the concert, but I can't remember them (They were good though, I've been having some really awesome dreams lately).
On Friday we began our day the only way American college students know how; with some cheap, filling asian food. After significantly overeating, we had a couple of options: 1. go to Mitte and see the Brandenburger Tor, Bundestag, and Berlin Wall and 2. go to a giant thrift store and buy loads of clothes that you've never heard of so we can look almost half as hip as the Berliners...no not the jelly filled doughnut ones either. Natürlich, we went with option 2. After spending approximately two eternities in the thrift store, we left to go do what else? more shopping. This time at a Turkish flea market! There's just nothing quite like getting barked at in one language that you barely understand and another that sounds like...well I don't know what it sounds like but I don't understand it at all. Nevertheless I was able to walk away with some Norwegian wool socks and a gnartacular hoodie. Woot! woot! Friday night was spent at a beach bar. And by beach bar, I mean a bar with sand covering the entire floor. If you happen to besuchen this bar please do not attempt to build sand castles in the bar-floor sand...bar-floor sand is dirty and will make you dirty.
Side note - Some street performers in Berlin will enter your U-Bahn car and proceed to play clarinet to the the tune of "Let's Get it Started in Here", while you are trapped inside the moving U-Bahn jukebox. So no sir, I will not give you my Geld simply because I am trapped inside of the same U-Bahn car as you and your snazzy clarinet.
Saturday began with a trip to Waffly...the 50's themed waffle diner that plays early 2000's hip hop (Berlin may be the hipster capital of Europe but its music is severely outdated). Having filled our bellys with the waffliest of waffles, we decided we should actually see the sights worth seeing in Berlin. So yes we saw the Bundestag, Brandenburder Tor, and Berlin Wall...and well, they look just like they do in all of the pictures in the interweb. There was a protest going on outside of the Bundestag though! I saw lots of dancing Turkish people as well as many, unsmiling, attempting-to-look-cool, Berlin Polizei. We then visited the Topography of Terror and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. The Topography of Terror is a museum where the old SS headquarters used to be. The entrance is free and it was quite moving/terrirfying. It basically shows how the Nazis came to power through terror. The Jewish memorial was really cool! When you first see it, it appears to simply be a bunch of cement blocks spanning an entire city block. As you walk into the blocks however, you gradually sink into them until you are surrouned by an eerie silence as the blocks are way over your head and you have no idea where you are. Very cool.
And now here I sit, writing a blog post because homework sucks...especially auf deutsch.
Side note - How is no shave November going for everyone?
Sunday, October 27, 2013
My German Is Not Nearly As Good As I Thought It Was!
So German is hard...that much I've learned since classes have started. I am currently taking Goethe's Italienische Reise, Deutsch für Fortgeshrittene, Deutschland Heute, Inter Kultural Kommunikation, München and National Sozialismus and understanding approximately half of that. I am enjoying taking class auf Deutsch though! Or at least attempting too. Most of my classes only meet once a week and nobody in Germany ever has Friday class which is pretty shweet.
On a separate note, I finally got to go hiking in the Alps these past couple of weekends! And the pictures really don't do it justice. The best part about hiking in the Alps is the beer you get when you reach the Gasthaus at the top of the mountains. Nothing tastes better than that! I'll definitely be making some more trips out there this year.
Yesterday I went to Salzburg in Austria, but was severely disappointed when I didn't see a single piece of salt. I mean come on, I was expecting to get a free bag of salt as soon as I stepped of the train! But anyhoodles it was probably the nicest day I've had since I've been here. After getting separated from our group, me and a friend wandered around Salzburg and settled on sitting on the riverbank with some Jäger and a pipe...not a bad way to spend the evening there!
On a separate note, I finally got to go hiking in the Alps these past couple of weekends! And the pictures really don't do it justice. The best part about hiking in the Alps is the beer you get when you reach the Gasthaus at the top of the mountains. Nothing tastes better than that! I'll definitely be making some more trips out there this year.
Yesterday I went to Salzburg in Austria, but was severely disappointed when I didn't see a single piece of salt. I mean come on, I was expecting to get a free bag of salt as soon as I stepped of the train! But anyhoodles it was probably the nicest day I've had since I've been here. After getting separated from our group, me and a friend wandered around Salzburg and settled on sitting on the riverbank with some Jäger and a pipe...not a bad way to spend the evening there!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Shoko Reis
Shoko Reis - the name of the weird off-brand German cereal that is currently next to me. Grocery shopping in a foreign country is probably one of the hardest things ever. I've already racked up three bottles of nasty salad dressing in my fridge. However I did find Sriracha, which can salvage any poorly cooked meal.
We are in our final week of orientation here at JYM. This means that sadly, my five and a half month summer is in its final stages...waaaaaaah. I'm not even sure I know how to study anymore. Nothing like taking five classes taught in German to ease you back into school!
On a happier note, here are some pictures from my adventures this weekend!
We went to the Munich Zoo!
Baby Gorilla and Mommy!
Best. Animal. Ever.
This is what you have to climb through in order to get to the slide at German playgrounds
Gnarly merry-go-round
The Isar
Train ride to Nürnberg...we got kicked off for not having the right ticket
Who created that are piece?
Wall Unicorn
Creepy abandoned building on the Ammersee
Ammersee!
Biking through the Englishcer Garten to orientation
Bike riding selfy
Real classy mall in München
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Die Erste Woche/Oktoberfest
So I've been here a week and have learned so much already!
1. My German skills are not nearly as good as I thought they were.
2. There is a bar in the basement of my dorm. (This is a blessing and a curse)
3. The roads in München kinda suck for longboarding.
4. None of the dogs here ever have leashes.
5. Whoever cleaned my room before I moved in didn't really clean it at all. I walked into a room with a hairy mattress and mold in the bathroom!
6. Grocery shopping at a store in Germany is futile unless you bring a German/English dictionary with you.
7. Being inside a tent at Oktoberfest is pretty gnarly.
This week has been spent going to orientation during the day and going to Manhattan or Pot at night. (These are the two Studentenkneipen in StudentenStadt) On Friday I went to Oktoberfest and met one of my German friends there. We managed to somehow sneak inside the Löwenbräu tent and it was awesome! As soon as the band starts playing everyone stands up on the benches and attempts to sing along. You kinda have to be drinking in order to handle the crowds at Oktoberfest though...so many people.
All in all it was a good week and I can't wait for some more!
1. My German skills are not nearly as good as I thought they were.
2. There is a bar in the basement of my dorm. (This is a blessing and a curse)
3. The roads in München kinda suck for longboarding.
4. None of the dogs here ever have leashes.
5. Whoever cleaned my room before I moved in didn't really clean it at all. I walked into a room with a hairy mattress and mold in the bathroom!
6. Grocery shopping at a store in Germany is futile unless you bring a German/English dictionary with you.
7. Being inside a tent at Oktoberfest is pretty gnarly.
This week has been spent going to orientation during the day and going to Manhattan or Pot at night. (These are the two Studentenkneipen in StudentenStadt) On Friday I went to Oktoberfest and met one of my German friends there. We managed to somehow sneak inside the Löwenbräu tent and it was awesome! As soon as the band starts playing everyone stands up on the benches and attempts to sing along. You kinda have to be drinking in order to handle the crowds at Oktoberfest though...so many people.
All in all it was a good week and I can't wait for some more!
As you can see, a very thorough cleaning job was done prior to my arrival.
The Englischer Garten
The view from the rooftop terrace at Manhattan. My dorm is the one in the middle.
My first German beer
This is my program's office...pretty shweet
Monday, September 23, 2013
The Final Countdown
The day is finally here! In about 7 hours I will be leaving this country für Deutschland! What am I thinking right now? I'm thinking about how much I would love just one more beefy five layer burrito. I am thinking about all that delicious German beer that is less than 24 hours away. And most of all, I am thinking of how pumped I am to spend the next ten months in the gnarliest country ever!
I would also like everyone reading this to watch the movie Taken. That way, if you don't hear from me during my first week you'll know exactly what happened to me.
So here I am sitting in my hotel room in Chicago listening to some Frank Turner and getting stoked on what I am sure will be one of the best years of my life!
Peace out Amerika! I'm off to the land of beer and sausage!
I would also like everyone reading this to watch the movie Taken. That way, if you don't hear from me during my first week you'll know exactly what happened to me.
So here I am sitting in my hotel room in Chicago listening to some Frank Turner and getting stoked on what I am sure will be one of the best years of my life!
Peace out Amerika! I'm off to the land of beer and sausage!
Monday, September 16, 2013
Eine Woche
With a week to go I have decided to finally begin my blog for my year in Germany. After reading enough of these I decided to hop on the bandwagon and do what all the cool kids are doing. Hopefully when I look back on this post at the end of my trip I'll be so much more cultured and all that awesomesauce!
It still doesn't feel real that I am actually leaving this country in a week to accomplish one of my lifelong dreams of studying abroad in Deutschland. To answer everyone's questions:
1. Yes, I am more than excited to go...but also quite nervous
2. I will be living in Munich, Germany for about ten months
3. My housing is the Oranges Haus in Studentenstadt (It's basically a dorm where I will live among other German and international students)
4. I don't currently know anyone in my program (I do however have a few friends that live in Europe)
My program is called 'Junior Year in Munich' and is through Wayne State University. It has been around for about 60 years and is America's oldest study abroad program to Germany. Check it out: http://www.jym.wayne.edu/
My goals for this year (in no particular order):
1. Become fluent in the language
2. Befriend at least one German student
3. Shred gnar in the Alps
4. Go to a Fussball game
5. See the Fjords in Norway
6. Travel to as many European cities as possible
The one thing I truly want most out of this program is to become a German student for a year. I don't want to be an American living in Germany but rather an authentic German citizen...or as close as I can get to that. I want to give up my American traditions and way of living and embrace everything that is German (unfortunately this includes going almost an entire year without my dearly beloved Taco Bell burritos!). I'm sure this will involve a lot of awkwardness and determination as I immerse myself in a different language and culture. In the end however, I know it will all be more than worth it.
It still doesn't feel real that I am actually leaving this country in a week to accomplish one of my lifelong dreams of studying abroad in Deutschland. To answer everyone's questions:
1. Yes, I am more than excited to go...but also quite nervous
2. I will be living in Munich, Germany for about ten months
3. My housing is the Oranges Haus in Studentenstadt (It's basically a dorm where I will live among other German and international students)
4. I don't currently know anyone in my program (I do however have a few friends that live in Europe)
My program is called 'Junior Year in Munich' and is through Wayne State University. It has been around for about 60 years and is America's oldest study abroad program to Germany. Check it out: http://www.jym.wayne.edu/
My goals for this year (in no particular order):
1. Become fluent in the language
2. Befriend at least one German student
3. Shred gnar in the Alps
4. Go to a Fussball game
5. See the Fjords in Norway
6. Travel to as many European cities as possible
The one thing I truly want most out of this program is to become a German student for a year. I don't want to be an American living in Germany but rather an authentic German citizen...or as close as I can get to that. I want to give up my American traditions and way of living and embrace everything that is German (unfortunately this includes going almost an entire year without my dearly beloved Taco Bell burritos!). I'm sure this will involve a lot of awkwardness and determination as I immerse myself in a different language and culture. In the end however, I know it will all be more than worth it.
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