2014 GERMAN TRIP BLOG

Day 1

The first day in a foreign country for me, and all I really wanted to do was sleep. We started our trip with about a nine hour plane ride that included an hour lay over in Iceland. We arrived in Frankfurt, Germany around 1:00 local time and lugged our suitcases from train station to train station before arriving at our youth hostel. The luggage was dropped off in our rooms and we headed to explore the city. I ate my first German meal which was a huge platter filled with different kinds of sausages, potatoes, and sour kraut. I split it with two others, because there was way too much food for one person to consume! After supper we toured around the city a little more and headed back to our youth hostel to spend our first night in Germany. My experiences helped me to learn the train, subway, and bus systems in a city, and I made my first purchase with European money. I was surprised by how different people walking on the streets act so differently from in America. They walk around feeling very free to express themselves, and no one seems to stare and judge. I enjoyed my first day in Germany, but I miss sugary cereals and ice cold beverages. I am sure I will start to miss my family and friends, but I am excited to be able to explore a new place and have the opportunity to try new things.
-Kali Covert

Day 2

The second day in Germany was hard to get motivated for. I had major jet lag and we started out with waking up at 6 in the morning. Our day started out with a four hour ICE train that went about 140 miles per hour. It was a great time to catch up on some lost sleep. When we got into Berlin we checked into our hostel and dropped off our bags. Then we went to explore the capital of Germany, Berlin. We started walking around Berlin and then at 4 o'clock we headed to Fat Tire Bike Tour. We took a four hour bike tour of Berlin. We stopped at some of the major tourist attractions including: The Reichstag, Brandonburg Gate, the victory statue, and a bunch of different attractions. Also during the tour we saw different parts of where Hitler had stayed and different buildings that were bombed during the war. It was interesting to see that so much of Germany was effected by the war. One thing that I really miss about America is not having to pay for public restrooms. Here it is 50 Euro's just to use the bathroom.
- Maria Holdvogt

Day 3

The third day in Germany was our first full day in Berlin. I started out getting to wake up a little later. I got up at 7 and ate breakfast at 8. After breakfast everyone got a break until 10, then we went to the German Olympic Stadium. I really enjoyed the olympic grounds, especially the gift shop. During the olympic stadium tour I learned a lot. One thing I learned was that the original stadium had a lot of damage during WWll. Part of it had to be rebuilt. We got a behind the scenes tour of the stadium. Something that surprised me is that Americans normally say V.I.P and Germans say VIP. In the afternoon we went to Kurfürstendamm and went shopping on our own for two hours. Then we went in the KaDeWe and looked around. The KaDeWe is the biggest department store in Euope. So far Germany is a lot different then I thought it would be there are parts I like and parts I don't like. We do so much stuff each day I am always tired, I can't wait to go to Oldenburg and sleep in a nice bed and get over my jet lag. I miss my family, friends, and cats but all the other students keep each other company. I also miss not being tired all the time.
-Stephanea Roeser

Day 4

By the fourth day in Germany it honestly felt like I'd been here for weeks. We are constantly kept busy, so one day feels like at least two days have passed. The jet lag may or may not also contribute to that feeling quite a bit. Despite being endlessly busy and overwhelmed with tiredness, going to Germany is easily the best experience I have ever had. On this particular day, though, we had the chance to do a bit more shopping/sightseeing, and also tour a Ritter Sport chocolate shop. We split into two separate groups, and the group of 11 toured Ritter Sport shop first. My group of nine went off with Marlena, a former German exchange student at EVW in 2001. We bought some strawberries and she walked us around some of Berlin. After about an hour and a half, we made our way back to the chocolate shop and my group went through the tour. During this tour we learned about the ingredients in Ritter Sport chocolate, and the procedure taken to create the deliciousness that is Ritter Sport. Afterwards we had the amazing privilege of crafting two chocolate bars with any three ingredients you desired. They had things like gummy bears, hazelnut, almonds, coco puffs, corn flakes (I could continue for a while). I decided on hazelnut and almonds (a little boring, I know.) After the tour, we had the chance to buy some souvenirs from the gift shop, and I got some dark chocolate (which is my favorite, so if anyone feels the need to purchase me a welcome home gift, there's an idea.) But of course, a trip to Germany can't consist of endless joy and chocolate. Later that day we went to Sachsenhausen, which is a memorial and museum located in a former concentration camp. There was endless information regarding the holocaust, and infinite display cases that contained memoirs from the outfits, furniture, and spoons the jews had used to individual letters they had written. My favorite part of the memorial was the fact that all the information and displays they had were spread amongst the buildings that remained from the concentration camp. It really made me feel submerged in the history of it all, which was a revolutionary experience. To wrap up, I've learned that history books don't even begin to explain the extent of detail that should be included about the holocaust. Specifically the concentration camps, and what all took place there. Also, I learned that it is indeed possible to eat too much German food. Something that truly surprises me is how natural everything tastes here. Not everything tastes so artificial as it does in the U.S. But there are so many more things that are different than things in the States, like how many people rely on public transportation or bicycle to get around as opposed to just cars. Another thing that's extremely different is the attitude the community as a whole has. Everyone in Minnesota is usually quite social and talkative. Not saying that Germans aren't friendly, just not stranger-friendly, really. It's a little odd to spontaneously compliment a stranger, whereas in Minnesota it would be more or less normal. I miss sleeping in, public restrooms, being able to fully understand the things I hear or read, my boyfriend, and my car. I miss my family and friends too, of course. I wish I could be experiencing all of this with them present. And, to be honest, I miss working and all of my co-workers as well. But if I don't dwell on it, the excitement of the things I encounter on this trip are enough to keep me from being too horribly homesick.
-Tori Barnes

Day 5

On the fifth day we went to Potsdam. It was very clean and beautiful there. We went to the castle called Sanssouci. This translates as without worries. The king, Frederick the Great, named his summer palace that, because he wanted it to be a relaxing getaway.The castle was extremely elegant, and had beautiful gardens surrounding it. In these gardens there were many exotic plants and birds. The king had a vineyard in the back. His decorators and sculptors did a wonderful job of tying in the vineyard theme into the inside of the palace. There are beautiful vines and grapes that were sculpted and layered with gold. These gold vines hung off large beautiful mirrors. The palace was an amazing to experience, and I learned a lot. I was surprised to see potatoes on the kings grave, but then I found out that he was the person who introduced potatoes to Germany. Germany is very different from Minnesota because, Germany has many castles and palaces that were owned by kings and queens. Minnesota doesn't have kings and queens therefore we have no palaces for them. The first few days of being in Germany was a little stressful. We take a lot of trains and busses, and it is very difficult to get 20 kids with luggage crammed into it during their very brief stops. Once I even got my arm pinched in the door because I had just made it in time. I have also been feeling exhausted. We have been kept very busy, but I enjoy being able to experience so much in so little time. I miss my bed, house, and dogs. I mostly miss the little things, but I am not feeling homesick at all. I love to travel. It has been a great experience so far, and I am certain it will continue.
-Brandi Asfeld

Day 6

The sixth day was the first day we got to see our exchange partners since we arrived in Germany. We had to leave our youth hostel in Berlin at 7:30 a.m. in order to catch our bus to Oldenburg which left at 9 a.m. I was really excited to see my exchange partner Neele after not seeing her since last October. It has been a long time. And now we got to see our host families again. I learned that public transportation in Germany nearly goes everywhere around the country. From Berlin to Oldenburg, a five hour drive, we were able to take a public coach bus with tickets to. I was very surprised by that. In Minnesota, I have never heard of any transportation that would go across the state. There might be, but not as well known or easy to access. It is very different here with transportation, but it is nice because you don't need to buy as much gas for your car. When I arrived at my host family's house, the house was different. That is one thing I noticed that makes Germany different from Minnesota. But, even though the house are different, I like them. Inside they are more simple. The houses are a good difference. I am feeling good. I finally got a good nights sleep at my host families house. In Berlin, it is very noisy by the youth hostel and hard to sleep. I am still tired from doing so many things in Berlin, but I am feeling less tired being at my host family's house. From home I am missing my family, and cats and Minnesota in general. But I have a great host family here and I am getting used to Germany. There are certain things that aren't different at all, but then there are some things that are very different such as how people dress, and the food. I am looking forward to the fun I will have in the two more weeks I will be in Germany.
- Maria Roeser

Day 7

Today we learned all about GAG, our partner school. In the morning the principal talked to us for a while before we got a tour of the school and we also attended a few classes. The school is huge compaired to the Eden Valley Watkins schools. There were courtyards, like four different levels and even a few seperate building. After we left the school we all went on a scavenger hunt acriss the whole town of Oldenberg. This was really fun. We learned a lot about the town and we also got to find our own way around so if we get lost or are on our own later we wont be 100% clueless. Once this was over we got to go home for a while. Then once again we had to go back to school. This is when we gave our presentations and showed our families how to make S'mores. My host parents loved them, they had three each. I had alot of fun tonight. It is nice to be around the entire group but have no place to be or schedule to think about. We had alot of fun and played games with the marshmallows. We even got Frau Orbeck to play chubby bunny with us. I think it was great to be with our families out of the house with other families as well. It was nice to see how they interact with other people just to get to know them better.
-Lexi Klatt

Day 8

On the 8th day a few of us met at the Klettern Wald, or the climbing forest. We learned how to properly climb and zip line through a small forest. We would climb thirty feet into the trees with gear and then go through different obstacles to other trees, there were multiple courses always ending with a long zip line back to the ground. The hardest course ended with a two rope free fall swing into a dangling net that you had to climb up and hook yourself to another wire. The worst part about that was being 30-40 feet in the air and jumping off the edge … not for the faint of heart. I was surprised at how much fun it was and that many young children were also doing this. After the eight of us were done climbing, we spent the rest of the day in the Schwimmbad, or swimming pool, across the street. In Germany, everybody uses public transportation, or bike where they need to go. The roads are much smaller, and people biking on the roads get respect from the other drivers. It is easier to bike places here because the land is much flatter. I am tired from always having things to do everyday, but it keeps my mind off of everything else. I miss my pets from home the most, and driving a vehicle the 2nd most, but otherwise I am having a great time in Deutschland!
Justin Vannurden

Day 9

Today I went with my host partner to a German festival just outside of Wardenburg, the main attraction of this was a "See Chor" or Sea Choir. My partner said this is mainly something for old men to do and the music isn't the best, but there were other things to see and do there. There were several old buildings with antique farm equipment, and a museum about life from anywhere from 50-150 years ago. Later in the day the rest of my host family came and my host father, who is a dairy farmer, explained some of the different things in the farm museum to me. My host family is very nice and has made me feel welcome, and they are easy to get along with. Usually we are all tired at the end of the day but I sleep well and I feel comfortable at my home so everything is good. Since we are always busy with something I don't have much time to miss home, the main things I miss from America is public water fountains and free bathrooms (you have to pay here!). But as far as day to day life goes Germany isn't all that much different from home. Overall Germany is a very interesting place to visit and I'm glad I went with.
Tim Lux

Day 10

Today was a Monday and we all had no school because it was a religious holiday celebrated throughout Germany. It's called Pentecost and it's a little weird to have two days off of school for this holiday because, as far as I have seen, not many people are really religious. But I guess I wouldn't be either if my government would take out extra taxes to go towards a certain church if I had claimed that religion. Along with having no school, none of the shops were open. It was weird seeing closed stores and people not at work on Monday morning. So on this day my partner decided to take me to her gliding club. Now I am a person who went on this trip never having flown before and I didn't particularly like the flights, but in knowing that I thought I would go try this gliding thing. My partner and I got on about a 5 minute train ride to a kind of really old airway. There were still planes there but they were used how you would think. We walked up to the gate and my partner showed the guard her membership pass, he let us in, and we walked to meet the other members of the club at a hanger. Inside the hanger were a few older men but no women. There was also small two-person planes with motors and some without motors. There was also a small firetruck, a small pick-up truck, tractor, and other kind of truck/machine I had never seen. My partner introduced me to her plane that she glides in. I never thought she actually got in a small two-person plane with no motor. We then had to pull the plane out of the hanger and connect to the firetruck and drive, very slowly, to the runway the men had prepared for us. They stretched out this very long, metal cable, a little over a mile long out in the fresh cut grass. Once we got the motorless plane out to the grass right next to the runway, my partner and her flight teacher, put a parachute on me and told me, "You're going to learn how to fly today." I almost lost my breakfast. Her flight teacher was then showing me all the controls in the plane but I was just going to be the backseat pilot while he would fly it. Once we got inside, made sure the radio was working, and checked over the entire plane, which only took a couple minutes, we got inside. Once we were inside and all buckled in, my partner attached the metal cable to the bottom of the plane. Then we closed the hatch and before I knew it the cable was retracting and we were in the air. Our take off was very fast and once we got to the point the cable could stretch no more it detached and we just glided about a mile and half above the ground. It was amazing! It may have been about a 10 minute flight but it was worth it. As we came in for our landing it more or less the same as a normal plane. Although it was a lot more gentle hitting that runway than the flights I had on my way into Germany. This day was probably one of my most memorable days I will ever have in Germany. I'm so glad I went gliding and that I went on this trip.
Veronika Wilson

Day 11

Today was the last day of our four day break. We had to wake up at 5:30ish to get ready to go to the north sea. We took a boat to the island Langeoog. When we got to the island we took a small train into the town. We had an hour or so to walk around so some of us went to the beach right away. After the hour passed we had to walk to our tour. Thinking that the tour guide was only a few blocks away we all went barefoot. Then after 20 mins. of walking continuously barefoot we were cussing frau orbeck out. Finally we got to the tour guide, on this tour we learned about the ecosystem of the island and got to walk around in the mud! we played with crabs snails and such animals. After our tour in the hot sun we walked back to the beach and swam for about 15 mins. After the cold water of the north sea we had ice cream. That sums up our day at the island. On the bus ride home we had a great time playing what are the odds which is a dare game. Frau Orbeck yelled at us but all is good. Finally back home after a long day, I ate supper and then went to bed! Germany is very different from Eden valley not just because we are in a different country but because I'm used to living near a town of about 1,042 people but now I live in a town of 13,000. Going to school is also very different because instead of driving or riding a school bus we have to ride trains and public buses. Germany is really cool! I love all of the history that has taken place here. I do still miss things from home, like seeing trucks! I'm sick of smart cars. I also miss my farm and my family! Not being able to drive also sucks because I am used to driving everyday! But I am still having fun! and I can't wait to see more of Germany!
Thomas Schmitt

Day 12

Today we split into groups and presented to different German classes. We showed them american money and our yearbooks.We answered any questions they had and even asked them a coupled questions. My group presented to three different classes. At 12:30 we headed out to the Auswanderer Haus. It was a museum showing what it was like for those who immigrated arriving at Ellis Island. It was very interesting and there I could look up my ancestors. We then ate on a boat where we had either schnitzel or fish. The boat never left the dock but it was still a cool restarant to eat at. It's crazy how fast time is flying by. Feels like yesterday we landed in Germany. The host family that I'm staying with is so welcoming and easy to get along with. I'm still not used to all of the bikes that are here. Aside from all of the walking and biking, I love everything about Germany and I'm so thankful to be here.
-Rose Ruprecht

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