Germany and Austria: 2007

Revisiting History

2008-02-16T13:57:00.004-05:00

Reflecting on last semester's journey, many things come to mind. My most-treasured portion of the trip was the time spent in Scotland, acting not only as a vacation from schoolwork but also a renewal of my vigorous love for the nation. Observing general cultural and physical differences between peoples and nations was of great value to my continuing development as a worldly human; as, too, was the beneficial struggle of language immersion and a heavy work load. My time in Vienna, Edinburgh, and Berlin fostered both a comfort and a longing to live in a large city, and they were a welcome reminder that culture runs through all levels of a society. Lessons upon the return are just as valuable, even if they are harder to accept; relationships with people one used to know have changed, some forever, while others remain consistent and resilient despite the time apart. Sometimes friendships are destroyed and people one shared intense experiences with become unknown, unpredictable, and even undesirable; other times one rediscovers old friendships that have borne the passage of time well. For me, I bear the memories of the trip in a unique plastic bag I received in Edinburgh, a stash of hundreds of tickets, mementos, brochures, and drawings; my transcript bears similar reminders, albeit in a graded format. Now, armed with those mementos and armored by the memories, I can set about planning my return to Edinburgh, Dundee, Carnoustie; my re-experiencing of Vienna, Jena, Berlin; and my exploration of other places I have yet to see.

Christkindllangos

2007-12-16T11:47:00.000-05:00

Tonight is my last night in Vienna, and early tomorrow morning I head out to spend most of a day in transit, flying (and driving) home. My suitcases are packed, well-balanced to fit within the weight limits. I diligently spent parts of today downloading Falco music, preparing my carry-on luggage, showering and shaving, and wandering around the city. Striking out from the 18th district, I headed towards the Ringstraße, passing the Votivkirche, the world's most-perfect neo-Gothic cathedral, and making my way into the Rathausplatz. The Christkindlmarkt there was definitely overrun by people speaking all manner of languages, more foreign than German. After pushing my way through the crowd I bought a Langos, this being my second run-in with the deep fried item. It is a Hungarian food and tradition that leaked into Vienna; flat, potato-based bread fried and covered with garlic oil. I considered it a sort of goodbye present to Vienna by giving two-and-a-half euros for the carnival food before I headed back to my suitcases.

18. Bezirk ist Wien

2007-12-03T14:06:00.000-05:00

This Sunday I visited my family in the 18th district for Jause, a meal occurring in between others, although for me it counted as lunch. Aaron came as well and as we left and made our way to the U-bahn Station (U6 Michelbeuern), he remarked to me that this district feels a lot more like Vienna to him. And it certainly does to me, as well. Besides the large amount of time I spent there last summer, it was the first place we stayed during this long, adventurous semester, as well as the first place we came when returning to Vienna after our time in Scotland. Something about the way the buildings are close together, but not so close as to feel suffocating; something about the one-way streets and small businesses on the corners; something about the proximity to the city's center: whatever the reason, the 18th district is, to me, the Vienna I know and the Vienna I love. Compared to the hour long journey to my current residence in the 23rd district, the distance between the 18th and the center of my academic and shopping lives in Austria is considerably less. I think after I return home from the program, even after the time I've spent in various other sectors of the capital city, even after seeing all the great and magnificent buildings that comprise the Ringstraße and the other areas, the 18th district will be how I remember Vienna.

A Cold City

2007-11-22T11:42:00.000-05:00

Every day it gets a little colder here in Vienna, and in a rather suprising display of its latitude the sun sets a little earlier every day as well. Right now the average time for sunset is somewhere around four o'clock in the afternoon. The wind here makes me wish that I had chosen to bring long underwear, but in just 25 days I will be back in a similarly freezing Indiana, the long-johns close at hand. Today is Thanksgiving, and in an hour or so our group is meeting together in a Church Basement near Thaliastraße for a "pitch-in" with our host families and a few other people not on our program but somehow related to it. Seeing Wien from the 23rd district is very different than my previous experiences, which focused on the 16th, 1st and 2nd districts almost exclusively. There's a very different feeling in Vienna than in Berlin, and for some reason the Austrian capital city feels much larger, much grander than Berlin. The buses, however, are sadly not as reliably as in Germany.

Wien, Wien, nur Du allein

2007-11-08T14:07:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately, and as with all vacations, mine passed all too quickly. It was very refreshing to be in Scotland, but after a somewhat dreadful 32 hour train ride back to Vienna, I realized that it would be tough to break back into German after speaking and thinking in English for a little over a week. Vienna was fortunately warmer than Germany was when we left, but now with storms on the horizon we can see now that the relative warmth will not last too long. I live in the 23rd district of Vienna, which is about an hour ride to the City center using public transportation. We have three classes - Austria and the European Union, Art History with a focus on Austria, and Austrian Literature - and many, many excursions. Vienna is still the same city as I left it before, but it is interesting to see the city from a different angle. A good example is my host family's house; I would have never known there were single-family four-storey houses in Vienna if I had not lived in one. It is also interesting to note the differences between Berlin and Vienna. The public transportation in Berlin, for instance, was more developed for a city considerably larger; a particularly aggravating aspect of the Public Transpo here in Vienna is the habit of trains and street cars and trains to leave early, even before their scheduled arrival time...

Edinburgh and Carnoustie

2007-10-25T15:38:00.000-04:00

So Tuesday we arrived in Edinburgh, got set up in a Hostel, and did a lot of walking. Edinburgh is a rather impressive city, and I was glad I got to spend time there. But now I am in Carnoustie in Angus on the East coast, and I am happier here, I think, away from the bustling (and often confusing) metropolis. As much as I liked and felt comfortable in Berlin, I think a lot of it had to do with the anonymity that comes from not being fluent with the language - a sort of security when you can't eavesdrop on conversations, where you don't understand a lot of the media without considerable thought, where your goal is to blend in with the local culture. In Edinburgh and here in Carnoustie, it has been a hard switch going back to speaking English regularly. I have really been unable to stop myself totally from saying certain phrases in German, naturally leading to somewhat uncomfortable social situations. While in Edinburgh we visited the Scottish National Party headquarters to renew my membership, and along the walls were posters depicting various programs, slogans, and reasons for supporting the SNP; I was significantly reminded of my last Semester at The Indiana Academy where I had an Independent Art study making a series of pro-Independence posters for Scotland. An unrelated but welcome surprise here was the weather; it is definitely much, much warmer here - more temperate - than on the Continent, and I am enjoying the Fall breeze.

Berlin to Jena to London to...

2007-10-23T08:22:00.000-04:00

I compose this message while on a train from London to Edinburgh... The following is the message I wrote to my host in Berlin the night before we left to head to Jena. Following is an approximate English translation. // 18.10.07 Liebe Eva, Es gibt viel zu sagen, und dieses Buch ist nur so groß. Aber ich kann doch natürlich versuchen! Vielen, vielen Dank für alle. Es war sehr nett, wann ich zurückkommen würde, und Du warst immer freundlich und großzügig, sogar wann ich nur am Morgen zurück kam. Frühstück war immer schön und leicht mit Dir, und ich lernte eigentlich viel von Dir hier. Ich werde unseres Unterhalten vermissen. Auch werde ich andere Dinge vermissen, aber so geht Leben. Ein paar Dinge tun mir ganz Leid: zum Beispiel war ich am ersten Tag so spät! Ich hatte zu viel Wasser auch benutzen, das ich weiß. Aber ich versuchte damit besser zu werden, und ich hoffe, dass Deine Rechnung nicht so groß ist. Aber sie sind negativen Dinge, und hier sollen wir an guten Dinge sprechen, und ich glaube, dass sie nicht so schlecht werden, wann Zeit vorbei ist. Ich war und bin dankbar jeden Tag für die Croissants – sie waren gut für meinen Hunger! Ich danke Dir für das Bett, das Dach, die Frühstücke, und so weiter, und so weiter, und so weiter! Ich war glücklich, Dir für meine Vermieterin/Gastgeberin zu haben. Ich hoffe, dass ich in Jena und in Wien Gastfamilien so wie Dich haben werde. Ich hoffe auch, dass Du mir schreiben wirst. Meine Addresse bei meiner Uni ist so: (Addresse) Ich hatte eine tolle Zeit bei Dir. Ich wünsche Dir total Glück und Spaß mit allen, den Du machtest. Vielleicht darf ich, nächstes mal ich in Berlin bin, Dich besuchen. (Ich hoffe, ,,Ja wohl.”) Bis dann! Mit herzlichen, dankvollen, freundlichen Grüße, Ian T. Cross, ,,Der Iv” // 10/18/07 Dear Eva, There is a lot to say, and this book is only so large. But I can try, of course! Thank you very, very much for everything. It was very nice, when I would come back, and you were always friendly and generous, even when I came back in the morning. Breakfast was always nice and easy with you, and I actually learned a lot from you here. I will miss our conversations. Also will I miss other things, but that’s how life is. A few things I am very sorry for: for example, I was so late on the first day! I have used too much water, too, that I know. But I tried to get better with that, and I hope that your bills are not so large. But those are negative things, and here we should speak about good things, and I believe that they will not be so bad when time has passed. I was and am thankful every day for the Croissants – they were good for my hunger! Thank you for the bed, the roof, the breakfasts, and so on, and so on, and so on! I was lucky to have you as my Landlady/host. I hope that in Jena and in Vienna I will have host families like you. I also hope that you will write to me. My address at my University is thus: (Address) I had a great time staying with you. I wish you complete luck and fun with everything that you do. Maybe I may visit you next time I am in Berlin. (I hope for “yes.”) Until then! With hearty, thankful, friendly greetings, Ian T. Cross, “The Ivf” // Jena was also very interesting, if busy and at times heavy. We saw Jena, Leipzig, Weimar, and the Buchenwald Concentration Camp, where the fog was unbelievable and the desperate feeling of sadness and hopelessness was palpable. I have to admit that I find the former DDR (East Germany) citizens, lifestyle, and culture much more likable and alluring than what I have witnessed from the West. Still, Aaron and I are finally in Scotland, and hopefully our plans will work out at the same time that we are able to relax and recuperate. I am also looking forward to heading back to Wien.

Mein Geld ist Schon Weg

2007-10-13T12:26:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, Friday, Aaron and I went to the Hauptbahnhof in Berlin and after consulting our options and some people, we decided that taking a train was the best and actually cheapest option for our journey to Scotland. Using our tickets as guides, here are the plans. On October 22, Monday, we'll leave Jena and travel to Berlin; from Berlin we go to Brussels; from Brussels we go to London; from London, Edinburgh. The total time for this leg is a little over 20 hours. The following Monday, we leave Edinburgh and travel once again to London; this time we go to Paris next; then a train to Munich; and finally a train to Vienna. Altogether it was certainly the most money I personally have ever spent at one time in my entire life, but Aaron and I figured it was probably the best option, considering flying entailed lots of flying and hotels and such, as well as motion sickness, medicine, anxiety, luggage check, and so on. I am happy with the decision, even if it was pricey. I am very excited to go to Scotland, although I did consider Poland and Italy as well. Scotland is very special to me, and I feel an almost mystical connection to it. Since we left in 2005 I have been anxious to return, and it will also be good to stop by the Scottish National Party office and inquire about the status of my membership; I also want to spend time in Edinburgh, seeing the "hidden gem of Europe" and perhaps researching some for my novel. There are also plans to spend time with some relatives of mine, and perhaps also spend some time in the Highlands (naturally my true calling). Before all of this, though, we first have most of a week left in Berlin; on Friday we go to Jena to spend a weekend there and hopefully gain further insight into the lives of East Germans before and since the fall of the Wall. In the week before we leave Berlin I must spend time researching for my Ethnographic Project; so far the plan is to study the Kinderspielplätze (Playgrounds) in the vicinity of my apartment, talking to Germans about the safety concerns and such. Today Max and I went around Berlin and saw such sights as the Brandenburger Tor, which was hosting a political rally at the time, the Siegersäule, and the Mac House im Schloß, who suggested I wait until Wien to get my CD drive fixed because of time constraints (I also bought a protective case for my iPod).

Berlin: the Twin Cities

2007-09-30T11:28:00.000-04:00

I have now finished a week in Berlin, and we move inexorably towards finishing our time in Germany. On the 19th of October we will leave Berlin and head toward Jena, a significant town far in East Germany. There we will stay for a few days learning what we can about the East German culture and “Oster-gie,” nostalgia for the former DDR that exists in various degrees. After Jena, Aaron and I will depart on our journey towards and around Scotland. Berlin is really a large, busy city, hosting approximately 3.5 million residents. The public transportation system is wonderful, though, and when combined with Wien and even the transport system in comparably tiny Marburg, it makes one wonder what the United States does with all its money. I guess we don’t pay 40% taxes, though; I also guess we’re spending enormous amounts on our military. Speaking of money, I never thought I’d have to worry about banks loaning money to people in the States, but as the dollar moves relentlessly towards only two-thirds of the euro…I wish that several years ago I had purchased a few thousand euros when they were only half a dollar each. Here in Berlin the food is thankfully cheap enough that our dollar-funded program can continue to eat. I live in a large, East German apartment complex with a woman who has lived in East Berlin since 1949. In the morning I take a “rinse-soap-rinse” shower to conserve water and then eat toast with Nutella spread, tea, and fruit; by 0900 I am at our language institute after a short bus ride and walk and then I have class where we focus on speaking and language utilization. In the afternoons we eat – mostly Falafel sandwiches, my new favorite - and explore Berlin. I admit that here in Berlin I have allowed myself to become a Coca Cola and chocolate junkie, but we all have our vices. When I get back to the apartment after dinner and another bus ride, my host is usually in bed and I stay up until about 2300 working on homework, reading, or working on my novel. This last Saturday we spent a few hours in Dresden, and the architecture there is really impressive; a lot of it, of course, is relatively recent thanks to the US’s firebombing of the city during World War II. Overall I find Berlin a very different – certainly much more multi-cultural – experience than the others I have had, but it has also made me realize the extensive differences that exist between small-town living and city life. I do, however, feel safer in Berlin than in Muncie, or in Marburg; a very similar feeling to the one I had in Wien. I also found out a few days ago that Aaron and I will be living with the same family while we stay in Wien, which is great for me (hopefully he feels similarly). This Wednesday is both my birthday and a national holiday, marking the passing of my 20th year out-of-womb as well as celebrating the reunification of Germany after the Wall fell. There is a large free concert at the Brandenburger Tor, where I am sure almost every single Berliner will hear the Fantastischen Vier and other bands play all day long. I am particularly interested to see how Germans of the former DDR celebrate – or don’t – the reunification.

Schulsystem in Amerika

2007-09-21T11:37:00.001-04:00

The following is an essay I wrote for my class about my high school, the Indiana Academy. Today was the last day for our class here in Marburg, and I think I did pretty well on the final test. In some ways it is sad to be moving on; in other ways it is a relief. The essay is first in the original, corrected German, and following it is given in translated English. _____________________________________________________ Schulsystem in Amerika/ High Schools für ausgezeichnete StudentInnen/ Ian Cross, 19.09.07/ In Amerika gibt es ein einfaches Schulsystem. Erst gehen die Kinder zur Vorschule (,,Pre-School"); das nächste ist der Kindergarten; dann die Grundschule, die Mittelschule, und endlich die ,,High School." Viele Leute gehen noch zur Universität. Unser System ist nicht so gut. Zum Beispiel gibt es ein großes Problem für ausgezeichnete StudentInnen, denn die normalen Schulen sind nicht genug. In meiner elften Klasse habe ich zu einer besonderen Schule nur für supere StudentInnen gewechselt. Es war sehr gut für mich, weil ich endlich lernen konnte. In Amerika gibt es nur ein paar ähnliche Schulen. Ich habe dort gewohnt; es war wie ein Studentwohnheim. Natürlich gab es viele Regeln wegen der Eltern. Zum Beispiel können Männer nicht auf die Frauenetagen gehen. Auch das Essen war schrecklich und ungesund, aber das Lernen war toll und wichtig. Wegen meiner Schule bin ich, wer ich bin./ _____________________________________________________ Schoolsystem in America/ High Schools for Exceptional Students/ Ian Cross, 9-19-07/ In America there is a simple school system. First children go to pre-school; next is Kindergarten; then Elementary School, Middle School, and finally High School. Many people then go to College. Our system is not so good. For example, there is a large problem for exceptional students, because the normal schools are not enough. In my junior year, I transfered to a special school for talented students. It was very healthy for me, because I could finally learn. In America there are only a few similar schools. I lived there; it was the same as a college dormitory. Naturally there were many rules because of parents. For example, boys could not go on the girls' floors. Also the food was terrible and unhealthy, but the learning was great and important. Because of my school, I am who I am.

Finding Time in Marburg

2007-09-18T03:40:00.000-04:00

Today is one of the last days in Marburg; on Sunday, Aaron, Miranda, Willy, Marin and I will take a seven-and-a-half hour train ride to Berlin. While that is a lot of time, I expect it to still be a pretty good time, even if we have to change trains four times. The most important thing is that it only cost us seven euros each. I think I am really going to miss Marburg, and after my experience in Frankfurt this weekend I am a little anxious about a city as large as Berlin. Overall I did enjoy my experience in Frankfurt; shopping in flee markets, eating Falafelsandwiches, seeing a modern German city, spending time with friends. But it was also a stark (stark, by the way, is a word that comes from German) reminder of certain aspects of the human condition: sewers, litter, and the disposessed poor. Homeless men performed on the streets by rolling across carpets covered in broken glass, everywhere we went the smell of sewage followed us malignantly, and a bird pooped in Willy's drink during lunch. Perhaps the city was busier than normal because it was hosting the world's largest autoshow, and because of the Frankfurt-Hamburg fußball game. On the train back to Marburg, the train was so full that we had to stand in the aisles and inbetween seats, which eventually became rather fun as we had thumb war contests and "momentum surfing" as people dripped off the train at every little stop. Our language course teacher had a meeting in another town, so we do not have class today but instead make up the lost time by starting earlier and going longer on the other days this week. I am going to go to the Post Office before long to try tos hip some clothes and books home. According the deutschepost.de website, I will be spending anywhere from 15 USD to 65 USD, hopefully on the lower side of that. That is actually a little less than I expected, so let's hope it all goes well. I really don't know how I am going to be able to go back to America; reverse culture shock will make me an anxious wreck I am certain. There are cultural norms here I have adapted to that I don't know if I'll want to give up in America's superconsumer culture. Aaron and I filled out our Spring Housing forms on Friday, and we both requested to live in German House, hoping (I think) to find a more gentle re-immersion in American culture. I'll also have to see about taking further German courses. I'd like to keep up with the language, but at the same time I don't plan on being a German Studies major and I need to focus on History and Economics courses. Hopefully I will have access to the Internet in Berlin, too, and will be able to keep this blog updated.

Marburg in Autumn

2007-09-09T05:05:00.000-04:00

So, my neighbor/renter Matthias' friend Niehls has an iBook, and he visited yesterday and made the wireless internet here magically work on my own computer. As far as I can tell, it is stable and relatively high speed, and I should have simple, consistent access to it (although I don't want to revert to the way I was at home and become a junkie again). Things are going pretty well here. I find myself spending the most time taking care of the mundane sort of chores that just, plainly, take more time and effort here (most notable washing things). Speaking of laundry, on day three or so here Aaron had a pen explode in his pocket while sitting on my couch, and so I have labored for a long time trying to get the ink out of the cover - a white blanket. I've tried all sorts of chemicals, talked to all sorts of store staffers and acquaintances, and if I was in America I would just use bleach (I can't find liquid bleach here). Right now I am washing it for the last time in the washing machine: if I can't see significant improvement after this wash, I'll have to figure something else out. Slowly, we are all adjusting to the eating habits of Germans: for example, only one small drink during the meal, effectively. Apparently, it is exceptionally rude here to leave one hand under the table/out of sight while eating, and changing hands with your silverware isn't that acceptable either. My Stammlokal is a place called Cafe Paprica, where the KellnerInnen recognize me and now offer to bring Leitungswasser before anything else. Lots of the food places here are subsidized by the government so they will be affordable to students. Coming to Germany has definitely made me realize the extent to which English is the Langua Franca of the world today. I might end up doing my Ethnographic project on this topic, although I am also interested in smoking (it is an entirely different experience than statesside - even young Middle Schoolers smoke packs a day). My money is holding up pretty well. I started the program with $1000, or about 730 EURO; I get approximately 450 EURO for food from the program every month, and so I am hovering a little above 600 EURO at the end of every week. But of course I'm using money to pay for other things - chocolate, for example, or various cleaners to attack the Ink. Aaron and I hope to go to Scotland, maybe by train, for our free week of travel. We are still planning out when we can go, how long it'll take, and so on. We're actually thinking about taking a train to Wien then flying to Edinburgh then staying in Dundee or Glasgow. Today Matthias is having a birthday party in a few hours, and there is a Scottish folk singer I plan on seeing tonight around 20:00 within a half-hour walk from my place (Er kommt aus Schottland; die Liede kommen aus der Ostküste des Schottland).

Muede Marburg

2007-09-02T14:49:00.000-04:00

Here in Marburg I have so far been unable to find consistent, easy, and cheap internet access, and thus my writing has concordantly fallen to a stand still. On top of that, the more German I use everyday the harder it is to form coherent, worthy sentences in English to write here. Marburg is a bigger city than I think any of us expected; still, it is nice in many ways. Lots of walking every day, eating out for every meal (not always a good thing, of course), et cetera. This is of course been marred by the culture shock I have already experience (for example, the exceptionally different bathroom habits of men in Germany). I hope to soon have some kind of more consistent Internet access, but until then, adieu.

Arriving

2007-08-23T15:01:00.000-04:00

Aaron and I arrived in Vienna today I think I've just about exhausted my brain frantically talking half-intelligible German to our hosts. We arrived in Vienna about 15:00 local time after only one significant traveling mishap. The flight from Indianapolis to Detroit was not only the shortest flight I've ever been on but also one of the most unremarkable - and for traveling, I consider that to be a good sign. We had less than an hour to wait at Detroit before we took off for Amsterdam in particularly good seats and spent about half the time sleeping, trying to sleep, or pretending to sleep. The rest of the time I spent reading, eating complimentary Vegetarian-friendly meals (with damn good brownies), and partaking in other aspects of the plane's technology, such as low-budget video games and radio stations. Dramamine did its job well and neither Aaron or I had any problems with motion sickness. We were supposed to arrive in Amsterdam with plenty of time to get to our flight to Vienna, but as we landed a few minutes late we were worried and rushed to get across the entire airport to the appropriate terminal. Our worry turned to desperation and frustration when we came upon a security checkpoint with three hundred people being corralled through only two service counters. When we finally were through, we ran towards the gate, only to find we had missed our chance to board by two minutes. A sulking walk to a transfer counter, we were awarded with a 5 minute phone card and a 10 euro meal voucher, both of which we used fully (I had a grilled mozzarella sandwich with pineapple and ketchup, and a coke). Then came a long waiting period of fighting sleepiness and trying to read. Finally, after close to six more hours of waiting and another gate change, we flew to Vienna in a small plane flown by the first female captain I've encountered. Our seats weren't very good, but the dramamine made us so drowsy and out of it we slept with only fitful dreams. It was a great relief to be free of planes and airport frenzy, and our bags were specially handled by a team at Vienna's airport. As soon as we got in the car with our host, though, German phrases and conversations have been spilling out of me even when I didn't think I knew the words or endings, and even when I really didn't know the words. Aaron and I have acquired not only train tickets but also a special card which allows us significant discounts for purchasing tickets within Austria. Tomorrow we're going to go around the city on our own for most of the day. But first a good night of sleep.

Leaving

2007-08-21T23:50:00.000-04:00

Less than 10 hours till Aaron and I leave to head to the airport. Exciting, but it was a cold realization to see how few pieces of clothing I'm actually taking. Still, tomorrow we take off. If you'd like to write either of us, please send mail to: Ian Cross / c/o Speak + Write / Gesellschaft für Sprachunterricht / Universitätsstrasse 60 / D-35037 Marburg/Lahn / GERMANY

10 Days to Go

2007-08-12T15:17:00.000-04:00

In only a week and three days I will be flying first to Detroit, then Amsterdam, and then Vienna: the Saturday following that, I'll be taking a train first to Frankfurt and then to Marburg to start classes that Monday. The extent of my efforts to prepare for the trip is limited mostly to some shopping and the preparation of packing lists. I have found myself in an awkward state of decision for packing: experience taught me last summer to not bring so many things to do, but this time I will be gone much longer. However, I'll also be able to buy supplies there, as well, and perhaps receive some items through packages (hint: I get to celebrate my 20th birthday in Berlin). So these reasons have led me to develop a packing list focused on light travel, although I'm sure I'll still be filling two suitcases and a backpack. I will also be depending on my computer for several functions while overseas, including (but not limited to): music, DVD watching, digital photo archiving. Another concern, then, is computer reliability and safety. Hoping we will have enough battery life, Aaron and I plan on watching a movie during the 9 hour flight to Amsterdam - Hot Fuzz, Casino Royale, or Gladiator are the options this time. A Brief List of the Aspects of My Trek to Which I Will Be Looking Forward: 1) Healthier food, healthier portions 2) Escape from cell-phones 3) Partial escape from the internet 4) Experience in a new climate 5) Experience living in big cities 6) Week long free travel 7) Reading, writing 8) A cardio-centric workout plan 9) Learning A List Concerning the Opposite: 1) 4 months away from family and friends 2) Risk of over-working 3) Being out of touch with support network 4) Returning to find everything different 5) Inescapable awkwardness and embarrassment caused by lack of language comprehension 6) Constantly changing address 7) Lack of sleep Hopefully many of these aspects will turn out better than my anxiety predicts: foresight is always an exaggeration. The next step: cleaning and packing.

First Entry

2007-05-29T01:32:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my online journal detailing my experiences in Germany and Austria during the Fall of 2007. I am going through Earlham College's International Program Office (http://www.earlham.edu/ipo/) alongside nine other students and two program leaders, including my best-friend-since-third-grade, Aaron. During our program orientation, we were told that Internet access, while not frequent, will not be unobtainable during our stay; I hope to be able to update regularly enough that reading this will stay worthwile. I leave on the 22nd of August, and return on December 17th. Thus this journal is primarily for the family and friends I will be separated from for a semester, the list of whom is a mile long (if you write the names large enough). Overall I am certainly excited to be going, despite the reservations about my language ability, about leaving friends behind, about financial concerns, and so on. I have ordered the text books I needed to acquire before leaving (luckily I get to haul them around Europe with me the entire time), but thinking about packing lists and final checks and airport security is still a long way away. Right now it is all preliminary work, such as working for spending money, and setting up this Blogger. But already there is less time to wait for the trip than the trip will last. I guess "trip" isn't the right word. I am including two pictures with this entry. This first picture was taken in Eisenstadt, Burgenland, Austria during my one-month trip around Europe in the summer of 2006. Zweite: Aaron und Ian im ,,Air Guitar," 2007.