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.