First (Real) Day of Class

For the past several semesters, the first day of class has had three or four classes. Today, I had two. But wait, it gets better... My first class was at 12:45. Which, to a student, means I could have slept in until noon. Don't worry, I didn't. But I totally could have. I got up and was actually productive. Before class I went to the ATM to try to get money for the cello I'm renting, but it was an utter fail. I walked up and put my card in and... nothing. The machine acted like I hadn't just put my card in it's cardslot. So I took it out and tried again. Three more time. It didn't work. So I gave up and went back to the Pension and ate lunch, and then went to class at 12:35 (Germans are punctual, so we made sure we would be early). But that wasn't the end of my ATM adventure. After Music History class (several hours later) I decided to try again. So I walked up to the ATM and put in my card, the correct way. Still nothing. Then I proceeded to put in my card all the other possible ways to put my card in the slot. If someone had been standing there watching me, they would have thought me an idiot. At this point I decided I had better go inside and ask for help, which I didn't want to do because I didn't feel like thinking in German, but I did anyway. I was quite surprised when I walked in because it wasn't a bank branch like I thought, but instead there were three more ATMs inside. So I tried the first one, and it worked just fine. I don't know why the one outside didn't work. I guess it didn't like me. Oh well, I finally figured it out, and now I know for next time.

Class was pretty good. Like I said, I only had two classes, German first and then Music History. My German teacher Andrea (the wife of the director of the program, Tim) told me that I don't have to do the homework for class, but instead of homework, she and I will meet once a week for coffee. Yay. I'm in a combined class of German 2 and 3 (there are three of us in the class, the other two are in German 2), so the homework is for the German 2 students, since right now everything we are doing is review for me. Instead I will meet with Andrea once a week, and we will probably speak in German the whole time. I'm a bit nervous, because I'm starting to be a bit overwhelmed by how much German I don't know. I know the most in the group, and several of the other students often ask me what something means when we are out and about, which is totally fine. But I feel bad when I don't know the answer, and I get frustrated when I try to communicate with someone in German when I don't know the words I want to say. I don't want to give up and try English because I want to learn, and I so desire to be fluent in German, but I am starting to get weary.

Speaking of learning German, I mentioned the other day that Nattie and I put up signs for tandem partners for practicing our German. Well she met someone the following night at the Schwarz's house who is the daughter of one of the instructors for the program who wants to practice her German, so they are going to work together. Then the following night we were at La Boheme, which I think is going to be our regular restaurant, and we told Nikolas that we had followed his advice and put up signs, and Nattie told him that she thought she had found a partner. As we were leaving he told me to let him know if I don't find a tandem partner by next week, and if I don't he would be willing to help me out (and Andrew if he is interested). So that's great. Either way, I will have a tandem partner and a chance to practice conversational German! Yay!

Final note for the night. We went to Penny Markt tonight for groceries, which is much closer than Aldi and we (or at least I) didn't feel like walking all the way to Aldi, and by that point it was probably closed. So anyways, we walked about 10 minutes to Penny Markt in the lovely night-time weather. By this time the wind had died down and the temperature was actually pretty bearable. When we got to Penny Markt it was very much open, and quite busy, It was a but overwhelming for me, because I knew what I needed and some of it was easy to find, but some of it I wasn't sure how to say, and I wasn't sure if I would find it. I ended up having to ask about something that I didn't know how to say, so I was standing there with the lady looking up the word on my phone (which, thank goodness, has a translation app that doesn't need network service). She was very patient, and when I found the word she said, "Ja, wir haben das," which was so comforting. She took me to it and was very gracious. I still didn't find everything, but I did find most of what I needed. The last part of the trip was probably the most overwhelming. I was checking out, and the clerk told me how much the cost was, and I had hoped to use up some of my change. The change part of the bill was 71 cents, and I was so certain that I had a 1 cent coin and enough to make up the 70 cents, but all I could find were 2 cent coins. So I'm standing there with a handful of change and a line of fifteen people waiting on me. I finally gave up, pretty exasperated and frustrated. Plus, the clerk seemed to be getting pretty impatient, so I just gave her a 10 Euro bill and took even more change, since the 1 and 2 Euro pieces are coins too. So that was frustrating. I'm mentally exhausted. And I have German tomorrow. And the next day, and the day after that. But tomorrow is a new day. Hopefully I will have a better outlook. I will have a better outlook tomorrow.

Grace and Peace,
Suz

New Adventures

Today was my first time going to a German church. It was, in a way, what I expected, but I didn't anticipate everything that I experienced. The service and everything about it was in German. When we walked in we got a German hymn-book with notices and an order of service. The church wasn't very full - I think by the end of the service it was only two-thirds full, so about 40 people. I was kind of surprised to see people come in late because Germans are so good about being punctual, but not incredibly surprised, because I have been late many of times.

The church building is very old. We actually had a tour, and I remember a few things about it. I don't remember exactly how old it is, but one of the Princes (I think?) from Heidelberg, who lived in the castle, used to be buried there. He has since been moved, but his grave/tombstone is still there. Since it's founding, the church has alternated between Protestant and Catholic, and even at one point (I think maybe during the 30 years war...maybe), both congregations met there. A wall was built, and the Catholics met in the front half of the church and the Protestants in the back half of the church. At the same time. The church is so echoey and acoustically well-made that I can't imagine how well it worked. The wall stayed up until some time in the 1900's when the Catholics got a new church and the Protestants took over and began to utilize the whole church again. Soon after that was the war, and churches started to be closed by the Third Reich. The pastor told us that the pastor of the church (and the church-goers) of this church realized that what Hitler was doing to the Jews was wrong, and became devoted to getting as many Jewish families out of Heidelberg and into Switzerland as they could. He was able to do this until (again, I think, but I don't remember perfectly) the early 40's when he was forced to leave as well. 

The church is full of history, and I was thinking about a lot of this while I was sitting and listening to the sermon, catching what bits and pieces I could. I have always felt this way, but I was pondering the German people and what a hard (recent) history they have had. I know Hitler didn't just walk into Germany and declare that he was going to be the new leader, and that the majority of the people certainly did support him initially. What Hitler did was terrible, but it's not like the rest of the world knows that and Germany is oblivious. They are fully aware of what he did and how terrible it was. They don't need the rest of the world to remind them of what happened. I have heard several times from various Germans that the German people have had to cope with and come to terms with their past, and that they have done a pretty good job. What irritates me is not that it happened, because I cannot change the past. What irritates me is that the rest of the world won't let the Germans, or anyone else for that matter, forget that it happened. I cannot count how many times I would tell someone that I would be studying here in Germany and they would make some stupid, ignorant comment about Nazi Germany. It irritates me to no end. It makes me even more angry when I get that comment from someone who claims to believe in the grace and mercy of Christ. In what way does that display that one believes in the grace and mercy of Christ!? How can the Germans try to reconcile their past and move on to something better when everyone else continues to remind them of it, or refuses to move on themselves? It would be as easy for a prostitute to move on and try to make for herself a better life, with everyone around her reminding her of her past and continuing to view her in that manner. Germany is not controlled by Nazis anymore. In fact, the last time I heard it is illegal to associate with the Nazi party or Nazi sentiments. I have great admiration for the German people, as they have found a way to move on and make a better life for themselves, even in the midst of all of these reminders of their horrible past. I think it is a beautiful story, in spite of the tragic bits.

Back to the church service... As I said, it was all in German. The first hymn, "Wach auf, mein Herz und singe," wasn't a hymn-tune I recognized. In fact, I didn't recognize any hymn-tunes that were sung today. I could at least sing them because I can read and pronounce German, and I can read music. I understood mostly what I was singing, although I didn't understand everything. After the first hymn there were some words spoken by the pastor, and then Psalm 119 was sung, in a call and response chant form. I recognized the chant form from a class I took last semester, and the people singing were singing to each other, typical of a chant. The sound filled the whole sanctuary and was so beautiful. In total there were 6 hymns (one was the Psalm) sung. For some of them, it was a call and response with the small choir and the congregation. I fully enjoyed it. It was amazing to be in such an acoustic space singing hymns. Even if someone were to sing off-key, I still think the space would make it sound beautiful. I got this idea of going back during the week and singing there, but then I remembered that visitors are supposed to be quiet because the church is open during the week to pray. Bummer. Maybe I can go in when no one is there. 

The Bible readings were done in the way of traditional churches: one New Testament reading and one Old Testament reading. I suspect it was the same as other churches around the world, but I don't actually know because I don't come from a traditional church background. The pastor's message was after the New Testament reading. I couldn't understand most of it, but he seemed to be using the story in Genesis after the Fall, when God was walking in the Garden asking, "Adam, where are you?" and relating it to God asking us the same question today.

After the service was over we went back to the Pension and I ate lunch. Shortly after that Andrew came upstairs and asked if Kristen and I wanted to go to lunch with the guys. I went with them and just sat with them while they ate, and then when we got back Megan and Nattie had just gotten back from church, and Nattie and I decided to go on a trek to the Hauptbahnhof (train station). She wanted to read a bit on where she wants to go so she could ask better questions, so after she did that we went downstairs, got our bikes, and headed out. I haven't ridden a bike in probably 7 or 8 years. It was quite and experience. Shortly into our ride (down the street and around the corner), I realized that my bike is much to small for me. I was wobbling all over the road, trying very hard not to fall over or hit people or parked cars. I felt ridiculous. We got the the library and I stopped to to try to raise my seat, but to no avail. We ended up turning around and going back to the Pension. We saw Megan, Chris, and Andrew on our way back, while they were on their way to the practice rooms. My first bike ride in quite a few years was a failure. We ended up taking the bus to the train station, which was much less eventful. We went inside at the train station and figured out how to be helped (take a number) and waited until our turn. What followed was a drawn-out conversation between two girls that don't have very good German and a ticket-clerk who doesn't have incredible English. We finally got Nattie's questions answered and then I asked my quick question, and then headed back outside to the bus stop to figure out which bus to take back to our part of town. I couldn't find a bus that went back to St. Peter's church, which is where we got on (which was very strange to me. I don't understand why there wasn't a bus back to there. There is a bus stop for the opposite direction right across the church), so I chose one that would drop us near where we needed to be. After I figured this out I heard a voice behind me, "Excuse me, can you help me?" I turned around to a Chinese lady, who looked to be close to my age who seemed rather lost. She needed to get the the castle, but she knew no German. All of the bus schedules are in German; there is no English subtext. So I searched the schedules for a bus that would drop her near where she wanted to go, since there is not bus line that actually goes up the mountain. I ended up asking, in German, a couple that was standing there which bus would be the best for her to take, but that ended up being more confusing than helpful, so I just decided that we would take her where she needed to go, since it is close to the Pension. We got on the bus that came about 30 seconds later, and she and Nattie talked a bit about China. We didn't get off where I thought we were going to because she wanted to see the Old Bridge, and it was within walking distance of the next-to-last stop. By this time the weather felt colder because the wind was picking up, and it was much colder on the bridge because the wind was much stronger over the river. We took several pictures on the bridge and then walked her to the Bergbahn (the tram that goes up the mountain to the castle). We weren't sure if it would still be open, but it was, and with the help of the ticket-clerk told her how to get up the mountain and then how to get back to the train station when she came down. Before parting ways she asked us for our email addresses so she could stay in contact and email us the photos that we took (since we were in a few of them!), and she gave us her email address. As Nattie and I walked the block back to the Pension, we talked about how accomplished we felt about the whole experience, because we knew the city and the bus system well enough to show another person how to get somewhere, and how amazingly well the whole thing worked out. If our bikes hadn't been too small, we wouldn't have met this lady (who told us her English name was Fly), and she may have gotten very lost in Heidelberg because she only knew a little English, or she may have never made it off the platform and to the castle. I'm not saying we were her only hope, but who knows what would have happened. It was a very fulfilling experience, helping someone else.

Grace and Peace,
Suzannah

Studentkarzer

It's getting pretty late (not super late, but late enough for me), but I wanted to get as much down as I remember now, because if I don't I will regret it later. So here goes yesterday and today!

Yesterday we visited the Studentkarzer (student prison). It was an interesting experience. I had never before heard of a university having a prison for their students. I suppose it makes sense that of all places, a German university would have one, since I have been reminded over and over again in the short time that I have been here that Germans (general term) love their laws, so they would have to have some sort of reprimanding for law-breakers. Andrea and Tim explained to us that the Studentkarzer when it first started to be used had a negative stigma attached to it, but eventually students actually tried to get put in the prison, because it served as a sort of initiation into the fraternity at the university. Students would stay one or more nights, and their friends would bring them food and sort of congratulate them for getting in. The prisoners would leave their impression in the prison, either by drawing their silhouette or composing poetry on the walls. Andrea read one poem/story to us that basically said, "We are honest people, and since we are so honest, when we found a brick in the road we took it to the police station and proceeded to toss it through the window." That was why that group was in the Studentkarzer! Here are some photos:

Very colorful walls!

It was quite an interesting experience, and very fascinating. On our way out I found this gem:

It's just a decoration on a spigot, but I thought it was rustically beautiful, and I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered the photo turned out so artsy :)

That was all we had planned yesterday. After lunch Nattie and I went on a trek to post signs in hopes of getting a Tandem partner for the semester. Our waiter on the first night at La Boheme told us about the university's tandem program, where you can meet with someone who speaks a language you are learning and is learning/wants practice with your own native language, so that both can practice with a native speaker. While we were posting we saw signs for several different language combinations. We posted signs in 3 different places, and hopefully someone will contact us. We were going to try going to the Hauptbahnhof (train station) so that we know where it is and how to get there, but by the time we finally finished with the signs, we were too tired to get on our bikes and ride ten minutes to the other side of town, so we will do that another day. Maybe tomorrow, if the weather is nice.

Today we had a scavenger hunt, planned by Tim and Andrea, that was supposed to help us get more acquainted with the town. I think most of us pretty much knew our way around, although there were some new places that I discovered today, so that was nice. We turned it into a competition between girls and guys (since there are only seven of us total), and the guys found everything except one thing. I was impressed. There were several things that we didn't find, but there was a bonus photo that Tim and Andrea decided us girls won. The guys still beat us, but only by 2.5 points :)

Here are some photos from today!

On the Alt Brücke; me, Kristen, Megan, and Nattie.

The girls with a lovely German couple that we met (that took the above photo for us).

After the scavenger hunt we were supposed to take a bus (for the first time, and without Tim and Andrea by our sides). It's actually fairly simple; the public transportation in Germany is very logical and well-organized, which I appreciate. However, we got to the stop where we were supposed to catch the bus and saw this:

We knew that the river floods, because Tim had told us on our first tour and showed us on the bridge where they have marked how high the flood has been in the past. It rained all night last evening and into the night, but none of us thought about the street flooding and keeping us from getting to the Schwarz's house. There was a sign on the bus schedule that said to go up to St. Peter's Church, so we made our way that way, although at that stop we got on a bus going the wrong direction and had to switch busses to get back. Time said yesterday that we should fail at least once if we are to learn anything, and we certainly failed today. We didn't get lost, we just went the wrong way, and the kind bus driver pointed us back in the right direction.

Once we did get going in the right direction, we got a bit further away from the city to the outer reaches of Heidelberg, where the Schwarz's live, and saw that it is just as beautiful there as in the the Old city.

After a little bit more confusion, we finally arrived at Tim and Andrea's house, which is beautiful. I decided that when I have a house, I'm just going to have Andrea decorate it, because I loved everything about her house, down to the silverware.

Andrea cooked several different desserts for us, and then a few hours later invited us to stay for dinner. It was all delicious.

Apple cake

Crème Brûlée

...And I got more chances to take some artsy photos.

The past week has gone by so quickly, yet also so slowly. We have been doing so much orientation stuff that we are exhausted each night, and it makes it seem that we have been here for an eternity already. I am already finding my way pretty well around the town, and we as a group are starting to be pretty comfortable around each other. I noticed a couple of days ago that I don't really notice school distinctions anymore. It's pretty nice actually. We are just a group of students-turned-friends that pay no heed to the rivalries between our schools (whether real or imagined). Putting that aside has given me a wonderful opportunity to get to know the others better, and so far I really like our group dynamics. Perhaps soon I will explain the different personalities, but for now I should go to bed. It is nearly midnight, and I'm exhausted from tramping around the city all day. Tomorrow will be my first Sunday in a German church, which I am excited to experience.

Grace and Peace!

Suzannah