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A lot of Burgs; Bamberg, Rothenburg, Coburg

Here Comes The Sun...at least for the weekend!

In recent events, the ‘rents came to visit Bamberg after their short stay in Vienna. Thankfully they brought some of that Texas weather with them too. Despite being cold, it was finally sunny! I was thrilled. We were able to have a tour of Bamberg as well as Coburg and Rothenburg. I’ll write about the visit with the rents tomorrow but today is Saturday, the busiest day of the week and the best for people watching too! When the sun comes the town gains life as if the sun were inspiring flowers to bloom. It’s more alive than I’ve seen it! After turning the final corner on my long 45 minute walk from the apartment to the Innenstadt, a cobble stone street that is usually empty was taken up by an outside café, stands boasting off big pots with the smell of Goulash soup, and of course a place to get Wurst! The people here have already been warm and friendly thus far yet their moods are greatly affected on sunny days. Everyone is out and about in lit up fashion. So stylish too! On a normal day I usually would try to as well but after a week of traveling with the ‘rents, I was tired of trying to be fashionable SO on rare occasion, I’m sporting my Adidas track pants-at least my light blue jacket matches my blue New Balance running shoes! Nevertheless, the comfortable running shoes took me to the next corner and I turned into the Grüner Markt (green market). It doubled in size! Overwhelmed with too many options to explore, I paused for a moment, glanced around and…yup! I turned right to seek out the sweets. Surprise surprise right? ;-) My mouth watered with delight but after this week’s Wurst-fest with mom and dad, I wouldn’t give in. Instead I chose one of the many sweetly decorated Lebkuchen (gingerbread) hearts for my visitor, Alexis, who is a roommate from U. South Carolina coming next week to Bamberg. Alexis is currently pretending to be a Spanish senorita in Seville, Spain but unfortunately she’s having a hard time blending in because of her hair color. I know you love the attention, Alexis! Haha. After stuffing her lebkuchen heart in my bag, I strolled on passing a few vendors with scarves which I twirled around in a bit and then went through the many rows of fruits, veggies, and other locally made products. I was also sucked into buying a bag of unsweetened dried apples since I felt inconsiderate for sampling with out intent to purchase…they’re so good!

Still wandering along the Fußgänger Zone (pedestrian zone that doesn’t allow cars), I was suddenly distracted from all the colorful vendors by a cheerful tune. It was an organ grinder! Public entertainment just really adds to the whole mood. Honestly, who couldn’t pass this old man dressed in traditional lederhosen, hat, and stuff monkeys and not crack smile? I popped him a Euro on my way out. While continuing on my path, I went by my favorite part with all the spring flowers, roses, and pussy willows and then went through the area of woven baskets in every, shape, and size made by local artisans. Then finally I decided I was hungry for lunch so I grabbed a square piece of pizza (only 1 Euro!) with a Cola Lite and took it to the steps of St Martin Church, built in the magnificent Baroque style, and basked in the sun. For the rest of the day I just took my time browsing around until it was about 4 or 5 when everything closes.

Well I’m off for now…more of the parent's interesting visit later! Wiedersehen!

Liebe Grüße,

katarin (the way everyone pronounces my name)

The Old and New Converged

A journal entry that became an ode* to my always en vogue big sister...written earlier today

Dearest Allison,

I wish you were here with me right now. It is again a cold rainy day in the month of March (I have a feeling this simply means the more beautiful the flowers will be in Spring), but during this mid morning after my night out in Bamberg I've nestled myself into a place that has your name written all over it. Despite the fact that it's tucked in a small corner on the river canal that separates the most historic charming part of town and the centuries old university buildings, you walk in and it's a sleek yet very cozy nouveau cafe. The area on the canal that's close is known as Klein Venedig (Bamberg's "Little Venice")... As you're entering the cafe, the sweet smell of fresh pastries and coffee allures you. The delight of your own cappuccino or grosse Braune* makes you quickly find a seat so you can warm up and order. Besides the large hanging black chandelier crafted in the somewhat gaudy nuanced french country boutique (still very fun), the lighting is low and arises from the sandy wooden floors that gracefully take you up a step to sleek tables and plush seating. The colors of rust and burgundy on the cubic couches somehow flow elegantly with the streamlined wooden menu panels that are lit up on the wall by a hidden neon green light. Surrounding me is a collective of sophisticates and trendy students. Telepopmusik's "Breathe"* is now lightly playing in the background. I don't think it could be more appropriate for this place and time. If it isn't the feeling encompassing Caffébar Kranen that reminds me of you, then it's the deer statues carved from wood by the bar counter and antlers above the entrance to the Küche*. We're both suckers for woodland creatures. What really hits home is something that just appeared in the corner of my eye. She's a manikin sitting on an old retro green leather lounge chair. Her hair is a big light blond Afro and to keep warm she wears a caramel mink coat. To preserve her vogue dramatic effect, her oversize faded shades look out onto the day lit windows in the front. As you follow her posed legs to the ground her metallic pointed heels direct you to her friend, a stuffed Sharpe attached to chair with a long red ribbon for a leash...I couldn't resist but to laugh quietly out loud to myself. So ironic, huh? I had stop and think about the stuffed Sharpe you had as a cool and much older teenager. For some reason I thought the Sharpe completely surpassed the sophistication of my Eddie Bauer golden retriever/Labrador collection and of course the infamous lions: Braveheart, Nala, and Simba. It's always been that though hasn't it? Glamor girl and nature girl. haha But anyways, I should be making productivity the call of the day...and there's nothing but cold foam left in my cup but I miss you and am thinking of you!

Much Love,
Stink

*Andrew, please do not be offended that this isn't an ode to you...Maybe when I see a toe-headed little boy wearing Lederhosen with scraped knees and a mischievous sparkle in his eye will I write another one ;)
*Breathe: by German Telepopmusik, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdUpxch4F8M
*Grosse Braune: austro-german coffee
*Küche: Kitchen

Making the Transition

I've officially spent two days in Bamberg and have yet to express any of my thoughts. Despite the cold and dreary month of March for Germany, I see that Bamberg is a fairytale sort of historic town...I can safely say that it is the perfect fit for me to study abroad.

Although I arrived timely and in one piece from the train ride into Bamberg, I probably wasn't the most graceful. Here I am, two huge suitcases in hand, awaiting the ICE train. As if it wasn't hard enough to pull the luggage up myself onto the train, it was even more difficult to place them in an open spot. Thanfully the germans have already proven to be very friendly. Going up a flight of steps to catch a connecting train in Wuerzburg is another story but the friendliness of strangers persisted. They must have disregarded the American flag on my back and Tom Petty's song "American Girl" playing around me from an indistinguishable source. ;-) Only joking of course.

When reaching Bamberg after the two hour tour through the country side I called my Tandem Partner (a voluntary program to assist foreign exchange students), Carolin, who was able to come meet me at the trainstation. Thankfully! Once again it reminded me how much I was fulfilling the American stereotype when she arrived because we had to drag my two huge suitcases and backpack through the streets of the town. Since I wasn't able to get my appartment that evening, Carolin took me in like a lost puppy by feeding me and giving me a place to sleep. The next day she also assisted me and my broken jet-lagged German in opening a bank account at Sparkasse and obtain a new German phone! (Way nicer than my beatup, war-torn, and well tailgated red Razr endearingly referred to as "Big Red". Through all of this, Carolin was so accomidating that I didn't even know how to express my gratitude well enough. I felt as if I was an inconvience or rather a big, wet, dirty puppy. To make up for it, hopefully she'll enjoy the "Don't Mess With Texas" shotglass I gave to her upon my arrival.

In any event, the next morning Carolin took me in her small car that was hardly able to fit all my American glory (suitcases) to the Akademisches Auslandsamt (Foreign Student Office)...finally the ball began to roll and I was then able to go to my student appt-Pestheim.

Pestheim isn't considered the nicest of student dorms in Bamberg but it is certainly clean, sufficient, and the shower is really warm and powerful. Seems great to me! I've already tried to make it home by buying some cheap candles, frames, and a soft yellow blanket. Through some direction and advice over coffee from a fellow Gamecock that studied abroad last semester, I've been able to get to know a little bit of the bus system and find my way through the charming Innerstadt of Bamberg. Today I finally filled my room with some food too! Apples, oragnes, tomatoes, lachs, some white cheese, Broetchen, and of course a bottle of red WINE and MILKA (german/austrian chocolate)! Although, oops, I still don't have a wine opener. But for the most part not many people are here because it's a holiday. No worries though, during the next two weeks I'll just be aquainting myself with the city and getting some required stuff out of the way.

As for tonight, Carolin was kind enough to invite me along so we'll see where that goes...

Leb' wohl,

Katherine

And We Have Lift Off

While on Lufthansa...

Endlich, my adventure begins. Up until now the realization of living in Germany never seemed so actual and true to happen. Maybe it took passing the German newspapers onto the airplane, being surrounded by predominantly German speaking passengers, and uttering my first sentence to an old couple "bitte, Ich kann mein Mantel mitnehmen, wenn Sie moechten!" (please I can take my coat with me, if you'd like!) for this all to become real.

Although...looking out of the window has suddenly distracted me to stop and think for a minute. (I'm sure you're not surprised that my thought process happened to change because of a simple distraction.) Not only am I taken away by the striking reds, oranges, blues, and purples of a Texas sunset I'm about to leave and will miss, but also of something greater and humbling-The sense of our shrinking world. Drawn back into perspective, I'm on a German airline gazing out at a Texas sunset with Arabic writing in view from an Emirates airplane. The outrageous amount of connectivity in the world makes me anxious. I still don't know why this bothers me. Does this connectivity hurt or help cultures grow? If it says anything, I'm not the biggest fan of globalization. Instead of concerning myself with the possible dillusion of cultures, I'll just remind myself of the Lufthansa down pillow awaiting my head and sleeping pill ready to go.

Nevertheless, this childhood dream of mine has yet to truly sink in. Hopefully it won't take a nose dive rather than a gradual sink when I'm confronted with words I can hardly understand or search for in the German part of my brain to express myself. Eitherway, my personality won't let it get to me and I'll focus on the exciting things to follow. I'm so gracious for the opportunity ahead of me so for now I'll remain in my little comfort zone. Boots off, ear buds in, book on lap, and a glass of wine on its way-you could say I'm sittin' pretty in my window seat.

Leb' wohl,

Katzi