Inside 11: “Braunschweig, Nürnberg, HSV – wer steigt ab?”

 

 “Braunschweig, Nürnberg, HSV – wer steigt ab?” | Inside 11

From 9. May 2014, German Soccer news website, Inside 11, published my photo found on Flikr.

Schleswig-Holstein: A Five-Day Nature Walk

While studying in Hamburg and taking a mix of classes at the university and also ones taught by Smith professors, I took a class called “Landscapes of Northern Germany.” The class was taught by Professor Kai Jensen, who, although employed now by Uni Hamburg, used to specifically teach the class for Smith JYA students. Kai also spent a year or two teaching at Smith in Northampton with his family.

A Love Story

Many love stories start out the way this one did. As I walked through the park this Sunday morning, I watched two dogs chase each other. The larger one ran just out of reach of the smaller, plump, couch dog as if to say, “Nah nah na naa nah!” The owner whistled, breaking my fascination with the dogs when I heard the same notes used by my mother. I thought about how I hadn’t been running, I hadn’t even walked through the park on a Sunday in many weeks. The bitter cold 25F/-4C temperature is not that inviting, but I’d forgotten all the things it gives you as it simultaneously takes away all your body heat. You see the families, the children shrieking, the runners, the dogs, the adults- all relaxing with nowhere specific to be or rush to.

Travel Day: Hamburg to Sweden

Snowing and blowing in Hamburg, a Christmas trip wouldn’t be complete without a delay and running to catch your ride. I guess we Americans aren’t used to trains, because, unlike planes, you don’t have to arrive two hours before for security, check-in, and baggage check. So we were early, and in typical holiday travel fashion, our train was delayed.

The Holidays Abroad

It’s not warm and it’s not cold and it’s not pleasant. It’s damp. The leaves are old and yellow, bright yellow at this point. They contrast starkly with the gray of the bark, the gray of the sky, the gray of the damp dirt ground. These are the kinds of days in November that trick you. They are ugly but yet there is something magical about them. They come with comfort after the surprise of autumn has worn off; this is the second phase, this is the realization that winter is coming. But you’ve made it to November and threads of the holidays creep in. Happiness comes from plans for the holidays, concoctions in the kitchen, preparations of the colder days to come. Yes, there have been hard frosts and bitter rainy days, but the short respite that comes in these transition days is much welcomed. There’s a slight mist that hangs around the bare branches, making the moisture in the air visible, giving the air that distinct autumnal scent.

Nineteen Days

It is hard to believe it has already been nineteen days. It feels like ages ago that I was in Boston at the airport. The amount that I have experienced over these days is incomparable to any other experience. As a tourist, you still live in you own bubble. When you visit a relative or friend, they know the day to day tasks and take care of you. Here, I am doing it on my own; thankfully, Smith has such an amazing well-established program with wonderful teachers who care deeply about what they do. Last Saturday we took a day trip to the Hanseatic city of Lübeck. We had beautiful weather and it was great to be in a smaller city. It made me realize that because Hamburg is so large, it has made the transition for little country-bumpkin for me a bit bigger. On a guided tour of the city, we saw Marienkirche (St. Mary’s Church). Built in 1250 this church has one of the largest organs in the world and contains over 8,000 pipes- the largest can fit a full grown person inside and the smallest is the size of a matchstick. It was the home church of Buxtehude and both Handel and Bach were guest students of his. (Click to Enlarge, See Full Album Here)

Sonntags

Sundays in Germany are unlike in the U.S. Everything is closed in Germany. It is a tradition that lives on, although many say it’s fading and won’t last. People are everywhere on Sundays though, they walk, bike, relax, window shop for when the stores are open. I have even seen a furniture store advertise that it was open, but only for viewing their items- It’s illegal to sell things. I got up around 9 and made a plan to go running. I couldn’t sleep past 10 even if I wanted to because the church bells outside my window ring for a good thirty minutes. I took the bus the 3 kilometers into the city to the Alster, a river that has been dammed into a lake, and started the 7k run around the perimeter. At 10 there were a decent amount of people, but as it got later, more and more and more walkers, joggers, and bikers piled onto the path. It was incredible. I stopped (more than I would have liked to, training-wise,) to take some photos and got very excited to come back with my real camera to get some great shots. After spending two hours around the lake and the city, I have a great appreciation for it and hope to be rowing and sailing on it at some point this year.

Week One

After a full week, I am finally able to process everything enough for an update. Multiple times this past week I sat down at my computer to write an update, only to be confronted with a scrambled brain, frazzled by English-German and German-English, and everything else unfamiliar.

First Quick Snapshot

My room for the next 11 months!

View from my room

Each floor has a kitchen and living room with a balcony

Mural on the the dorm

Unnastraße (Unna-street)

Fifth Floor

My room

First night food from Jutta, assistant director