Reflections From Home

In considering the highlight of the Ilmenau Study Abroad Program, I would have to say that the excursions we took were the most thrilling. As someone possessing a fascination with Germany, touring Ilmenau, Erfurt, Weimar and Eisenach offered (for myself) an unprecedented first-hand cultural learning experience that will remain significant for the rest of my life. Additionally, the experience of participating in the language classes, meeting and getting to know fellow students from a variety of countries, meeting and getting to know the faculty, betreuers and some of the townspeople, and simply living in Germany for three weeks were also of lifelong benefit.
One of the most surprising aspects of everyday German culture was the apparent relational coldness we were met with upon encountering the townspeople. The average German displays a rather closed relational manner during initial casual encounters--an apparent lack of openness to strangers. However, on several occasions, once a conversation was initiated, meaningful dialogue often ensued.
I think the most important insight I received during this course about learning to listen to and understand the German language was to focus on hearing and understanding entire phrases rather than focusing on hearing and understanding individual words and then trying to construct the meaning of what is being said.

Finally, I want to reiterate my heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity this study abroad course has given me. 

Excursion to Eisenach

The excursion to Eisenach was another rewarding experience. This is the city where Johann Sebastian Bach was born and where Maritn Luther hid from the religious and political authorities that sought to apprehend and punish him.
Our time in the city proper was very limited, so Jim (a retiree from Cincinnati attending Sommerkurs) and I headed immediately for the Bachaus--a museum built in and around the house where Bach was born. I could have easily spent an entire day at this museum, but had to settle for an hour. Anyone interested in the life, history and musical development of Bach would find this museum fascinating. From the historical artifacts of Bach's time, to a thoroughly modern, state of the art installation that displays images of musicians playing Bach's music (the sound quality is first-class) this is a exceedingly well-designed museum.
We also visited Warburg castle located on a high ridge over the city. This is where Martin Luther hid and worked on translating the Bible into German. Having never visited a European castle, this was another incredible experience: another occasion for the recurring though "I cannot believe I am here."

The City of Erfurt

The city of Erfurt is a place I could return to again and again. In fact, I visited the city three times during our stay. The first time was with the group excursion that began with a guided tour of significant downtown landmarks. During that tour, it occurred to me that cities such as Erfurt make a trip to Germany well worth the effort. Walking the curved almost circular cobblestone streets and viewing numerous historic even centuries old buildings was, for myself, an essential component of this trip. From the walks down the city streets, to the tours through the cathedrals and church buildings, my imagination and sense of wonder was fully alive.
The second visit to Erfurt included spending a good deal of time at an Augustinian monastery where Martin Luther lived. The museum at the monastery would be of special interest to students of Reformation history but not just these students; it has much to offer for anyone interested in religious or spiritual history.
My third visit was to hear Bach played on a pipe organ at 12:00 noon in a 12th century church and to walk around the city one last time.
Erfurt is an inspiring German city.

Winding Down

Yesterday, a reflective mode/mood has begun to emerge. The three weeks we have been here seemed to have passed so quickly. As I think about and reflect on my experiences here, I realize that I am still processing many aspects of these experiences and will continue to do so for the upcoming weeks, months perhaps even years. On the other hand, my wife said that I would return from this trip a different person and I already sense that she was right. Germany has proven to be more interesting than I imagined and I have only seen a small portion of the country. I hope to return for another visit in the future.
Tonight is the closing program for Sommerkurs. We will have a dinner and each class of Sommerkurs will perform a presention that they have chosen. Our class will stage a performance of the Grimm brothers story "The Three Little Pigs" (in the German language of course). It really is pretty funny and I am playing incidental music on guitar. The rehearsals have been a whole lot of fun and a good way finish the course.
Although I am sad that Sommerkurs is coming to an end, and, that we must leave Germany, I am very excited return home again to see my wife. Participating in this study abroad program has exceeded my expectations. I am truely grateful for this experience.

Up the Mountain in Ilmenau

Last Sunday, a group of us from the Sommerkurs hiked to a tower at the top of a mountain in Ilmenau. The excursion lasted for eight hours with approximately six of them spent either ascending or descending the mountain. Along the way, we at wild berries and drank of the spring water--we took the land into our bodies, so to speak. The hike was somewhat physically demanding, and today--Tuesday--my leg muscles are still sore. The view from the top of the mountain and the experience of the hike itself was worth the effort--it was a good day.
I would like tell you about a particular problem of mine that has been emphasized a half dozen times since being here. (Sue, please stop reading now.)
During the descent, Nick (a fellow student from U.C.) and myself were separated from the group for about 20 minutes, in other words, lost for 20 minutes. This counts as the sixth time that I have been lost in Germany, although, the following confession does not apply to this circumstance.
The plain truth of the matter is that I have a tendency to observe everything around me except how I am getting to where I am going coupled with the fact that I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE OF DIRECTION!
As I said, I have been lost six times, allow me to list them for you:
1. First night on campus--lost the orientation to my dorm room around 11pm; eventually find it myself.
2. Second day--lost (slightly) at 11pm while exploring the city; found my own way back.
3. Eighth day--become lost in the city after leaving Cafe Bohne at 1am with complete confidence as to the way home; a young citizen of Ilmenau kindly walks me to the main section of town.
4&5. Fifteenth day--lost twice during the day while exploring the city of Erfurt by myself (no big deal) ; some kind citizens of Erfurt help me find my way.
6. Sixteenth day--lost with Nick during mountain excursion; rescued by Torsten (Betreuer leading the excursion).

In all seriousness, I have never once felt threatened during my time in Germany. If it were otherwise, I WOULD NOT BEHAVE IN SUCH AN IRRESPONSIBLE MANNER.

Week Two

In this post, I would like relate my encounter and experience with a local inhabitant named Marion and his roommate Andreas. While walking on a wooded bike/hike trail just up the mountain side, I asked a passing jogger for directions to a trail that goes up the top of the mountain. His name is Marion and he is a long distance runner and engineering student at the Technische Universität Ilmenau . As we were talking, I noticed he was wearing a W.W.J.D. bracelet. It intrigued me that a German would be wearing this bracelet. My impression was that virtually the whole of German culture had been secularized. So, I asked him if he was a Christian and he said that he was. We continued to talk for quite a while on the trail until Marion decided he would walk with me back to the city and on the way show me where he lives.
When we arrived at a social services building run by a religious organization where he rents a room in a third floor flat, he invited me up for sandwiches and fresh cucumber from his garden. His roommate Andreas was there and the three of us sat at the dinning room table eating and conversing. The building was old and well maintained and the spacious living room we were in had a nice view of the surrounding area.
Marion, Andreas and I talked mostly about the similarities and differences between American and German culture. Incidentally, Andreas is the gentlest German man I have met here thus far--he is quite likable. I learned that he is employed as an I.T. person with a Christian missionary group in Germany and he spoke very good English.
This was a significant cultural experience--or more accurately, an exchange, as our talk was largely a dialogue. After an hour or so, and after exchanging email addresses, I left to walk home feeling grateful for this serendipitous episode.

Excursion to Weimar/Buchenwald

Weimar is the city where the archives and tombs of the writers Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller are located. Following is an excerpt from Shiller's "Ode to Joy" which was chosen as the official anthem of the European Union:

Joy, joy moves the wheels
In the universal time machine.
Flowers it calls forth from their buds,
Suns from the Firmament,
Spheres it moves far out in Space,
Where our telescopes cannot reach.

Are you inspired by those lines? If so, I encourage you to read the entire poem.

Weimar is a city of much significant history. Two aspects of the cities history that are of interest to me are that the city was the seat of the Weimar Republic--Germany's early 20th century attempt at democracy. And, of more passionate interest, the city where the Bauhaus emerged (a hugely innovative and influential artistic/design movement). I wanted to revisit Weimar and tour the Bauhaus museum, but, I do not have enough time.
All I can currently say about Buchenwald (the notorious and very large Nazi concentration camp) is that I was for the most part unaffected emotionally. Somehow the experience at Buchenwald did not fully sink in an emotional way. I am still unsure as to why.

Bergfest

Bergfest is an outdoor activity during the program that recognizes and celebrates the halfway point of the Sommerkurs. We all gathered at a nearby lake around a fire for food and fellowship-- it was an entirely enjoyable evening. I mostly hung out with Joachim, one of the Betreuers--students of the university that do the heavy lifting of the program and assist the students of the Sommerkurs in various ways. I say without any exaggeration whatsoever that when Joachim speaks English it sounds remarkably like a recording of John Lennon's voice and on top of that he is quite sarcastic--I find him charming and we have had several good conversations on a variety of subjects. Additionally, on Thursday evening of last week he told me about a "stoner band" that would be playing the music of Frank Zappa in about an hour at an underground club with the name "Cafe Bohne" in town. I found it imperative not to pass up this cultural opportunity so I hurriedly walked to the city by myself. As it turned out, this was a top notch progressive rock band was from Dresden. I have not seen progressive rock music played live like that in a very long time.
Speaking of music and back to the Bergfest, I also had an interesting conversation with Stephan, the head organizer of the Sommerkurs. One day last week while I was in his office, I noticed he had a cd of the Doors "Strange Days." I asked him about his interest in the Doors and that particular record. This led to a conversation about the cultural significance of certain banned music that was spread while living in the GDR before the end of the Cold War. Stephan said that certain records retained an important place in his life because of what this music represented and represents in relation to former life under authoritarian East German rule.

Week One

After a week of being and studying in Germany, I am still somewhat amazed that I am here. Coping with the cultural differences has been uneventful and usually more curious than problematic. The language barrier, on the other hand, has been more of a problem. My lack of fluency in the German language has one of two effects: either the person I am trying to communicate with will use English or our conversation is extremely limited if they do not know English. Sadly, I usually open any conversation (or attempted conversation) with a stranger here by asking the question "Do you speak English?." Fortunately though, I have met and had good conversations with a few of the locals who do speak English. On one occasion, I met a man in his mid-fifties named Wolfgang who is originally from Ilmenau but now lives in Dusseldorf (he also knew the English language well). While we were both studying a map of the region located on the outskirts of the city, I asked Wolfgang about a detail of the map I could not interpret. This led to us sharing details of our lives with one another. In the course of the conversation, we found that we both have had similar aesthetic experiences, share similar artistic interests and possess a certain similarity in our philosophy of life. The connection that we made, simply by chance, was a life enriching experience, I believe, for the both of us. This was an example of cultural similarity rather than cultural difference and it shows how an openness on the part of two people to an unexpected encounter has the potential to yield fruitful results.

Photo: This photograph of a sign in front of a "Ferienwohnung" (rentable vacation flat) was taken shortly after my conversation with Wolfgang.

Getting Started

This post is about the the opening day of the Sommerkurs over a week and a half ago (I have had trouble "Getting Started" on the blogging project). The convocation opened with a classical guitar duo. They first played a melodic conemporary classical piece and then a Leo Brower arrangement of The Beatles song "Fool on the Hill." The playing was first class and the performance of the "Fool on the Hill" arrangement was particularly moving.
After taking a language placement test, I was assigned to the begginner level. My classmates are two fellow students from U. C., Max and Chuck, and five other students from the countries Hungary, Portugal and Russia. The instructor is really good and the work is challenging but mostly enjoyable.
I must say the key German word that applies to the beginning of this course, and to being in Germany in general, (at least for me) is "verstehen" which means "to understand." (It is surprising how many ciitzens of Ilmenau do not speak English, although, I absolutely do not expect them to cater to my lack of fluency in the German language; I am in their country.) This course of study and engagement with German culture involves endeavouring to learn and understand a language and culture that is different from my own. It is about having the openness, ability and interest to pursue "verstehen."

Photo: This is a good representation of what I have been doing instead of blogging.

Journey to Ilmenau

The journey to Ilmenau went well. Flying for nine hours was not as bad I imagined, although, I could not sleep at all during the flight which meant not sleeping until the following night. This resulted in a minor experiment in sleep deprivation, but it was not a problem. This being my first trip to Europe, I must say that the train ride to Ilmenau was an almost unbelievable experience. Seeing Frankfurt and other cities on the way to Ilmenau, it really sank in that--I AM IN GERMANY---WOW! Just viewing the European buildings and landscape from the train was an incredibly interesting and exciting experience as was observing and listening to the passengers, and, observing them listening to and observing us. I really cannot convey how excitingly interesting this was to me. During the train ride, I was surprised at the delapidated condition of some of the small East German towns we passed, but, I do find an alluring mystique in such places (this is true in America as well). Perhaps this is because of a kind of mysterious historical residency there, or perhaps it is simply an interest in, and romantic association with, historical things and the unique way they represent the past. I have run out of time: thats all for now.