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http://www.koeln.de/tourismus/en/

Bonn and Blues

Samstag 15. Oktober 2005

Today I ventured for the first time out of Cologne and traveled to the next Southern city on the Rhine, Bonn. It was just myself and the five girls- Megan, Brittney, Melissa, Christina and Denise. Nathaniel was also supposed to have joined us, but he had overslept. Our main goal was to go see the Harribo candy factory and check out the Birkenstock outlet center. I had also wanted to go to the German history museum, but no one else really wanted to go. However, we weren’t able to go to the Harribo Factory because tours stopped at 2pm, about the time we finished lunch, and the Birkenstock Center ended up being located in the next town over. This is probably one of the last times I will just tagalong on a trip without personally having my own agenda just in case something like this happens again.

So after finding out that the plans would have to be abandoned, the girls decided it was a great time to go shopping. It was a beautiful historic town with nice little shops, but since I only like going to stores with the intent of buying something, I toured the center of town on my own.

Along the way, I heard a blues band playing somewhere in the distance, so of course I had to find out who was playing. It didn’t take long to find out the source, because there was a huge crowd gathered around this band that was promoting themselves as a garbage can blues band. The lead singer played the drum (he had a garbage can for a bass drum, and nothing for snares) and sang into a megaphone. He was accompanied by an amazing harmonica player as well as a gentleman on a steel guitar. They used these tiny amps to amplify there sound, something that you would expect out of a junior high garage band- but the sound was just enveloping- I was quite surprised at the sound these musicians could wring out of their limited instruments. I took several photos, and even took two short videos- although Germans don’t seem to mind walking right in front of the camera. Just before I was ready to leave they noticed that I was trying to get them all in one picture and stopped mid-riff and posed for my camera. Unfortunately the picture didn’t turn out, but that was the deciding factor in me buying their CD.

The songs they have on their CD are the typical blues classics, with only one original song- which was kind of a disappointment- but none the less, still creative. I have been going through music with drawl since I have been here and every time I pass by a store that is playing a song in my collection it makes me yearn to just grab it off my shelf- but it isn’t there. It is going to be hard to not go home with a ton of CDs while I am here, but maybe I can get some recommendations from some Germans about good European techno while I am here.

After walking around the city for a little while I met back up with the girls and we toured the medieval church which predominates Bonn’s skyline. From there we went home and I called it an early night.

Consul General, Fiffi Choo

Freitag 14. Oktober 2005

Well just like every Friday, we had our weekly tour. Meeting at the usual 9am point at Bath and Body Works in the Dom Haupt Bahn Hof we toured some of the side streets of Cologne. I am slowly beginning to understand how to get around from certain locations, but mainly just the shopping areas and bars. The tour kind of dragged today, it seemed like we were stopping every few minutes to point out random tidbits of information so small to even remember. But our program director is so enthusiastic about his city that I can understand why he points out everything.

From there we went to the Amerika Haus which was set up after WWII to spread American culture throughout Germany. The Cologne public affairs section also works with educational and cultural institutions to provide information about American history and social values. Because this was a formal meeting, we all dressed up today.

We spoke with the Consul General George Knowles and the site director Constance Colding Jones who both offered their services in helping us locate scholarships within the Embassy or Consulate General Offices. They also have a program set up that allows American students to go to local high schools as almost an informal student ambassador to answer any questions students have about politics, culture, etc. When I get to a computer later this week I will be emailing the Consul to get more information- I am really excited about the opportunity to get a better understanding of how young Germans view Americans, outside of the typical stereotypes. At the end of the presentation we had a group picture taken inside the Amerika Haus which may be up on their webpage soon- I’ll provide links if I get them.

Later that night we went out on the town without any place in mind. As our group was deciding where to go, a DJ stopped us for a local bar, Voodoo Lounge, with a buy a beer get a free shot special. So of course we made that our first stop. Maybe it was still early, but the place was dead. The bartenders were even eating their dinner at the table! I was kind of taken aback by this, but then again, there wasn’t anyone there. We stayed there for a little while and I got the DJ Penny’s email to get some of the songs she plays. It was a mix of everything from 60’s to 90’s, funk, house etc.

From there we tried our luck at a popular nightclub, Diamonds. After waiting in line for about 15 minutes we were turned away. Zach had a friend from Munster visiting who tried to talk us in, but it didn’t work. Not quite sure why we couldn’t get in, but it must have been because the guy/girl ratio was imbalanced- 5 guys to 1 girl, or some of us just didn’t fit in with the dress code.

Fortunately, across the street there was another popular nightclub, Fifi Choo. This time we were able to get in, although today I found out they don’t typically allow Americans in. The club was nothing compared to back home, although Rochester doesn’t really have much going for it anyway. It was a multi level club with the dance floor on the bottom level. There were several bars on each level, with the strobe lights pulsating and colored lights going back and forth. The DJ’s were surrounded by a wall that also served as a fish tank. There were two chill rooms with leather chairs and couches were you could relax after dancing. Drinks were very expensive, so I kept it to one, although between the entry fee and drink it still cost me close to 10 Euro. It was a great place to hang out, but not something I want to do weekly.

Student Night at Flanagan's

Dienstag 11. Oktober 2005

Today a new resident arrived at the house. Her name is Maleka and she originally came from Holland but has been traveling on cruise ships for the past few years. She brings the total count to 7 additional people living in this house with the Weber’s.

Tonight we went out to Flanagan;s for the first time, an Irish pub near by the cathedral. Every Tuesday is student night and they have half price drinks. They even check student IDs at the door just to keep out anyone looking for a cheap drink. Mark and I arrived late, around 11pm or so and the place was packed. You couldn’t walk more than a foot without bumping into someone. For some reason American music, especially rap, is extremely popular here- so, for better or worse, I listened to it. I also decided tonight to start collecting the Kolsch glasses that they serve the beer in. Since this is a local type of brew, I have about 23-28 different types of glasses to collect from each of the different pubs. Tonight I grabbed a 0,21 liter Gaffel Kolsh to begin my collection. I think our group is going to make this a weekly tradition to come here every week.

Montag, 10. Oktober 2005

What a long day! Today was my first day in my International Negotiations and Conflict Resolution class. Our professor, Patrick Schmidt was originally from the United States, Las Angeles to be exact, but he has been in Europe for the past 15 or 20 years. Most recently he was working as a free lance instructor for Daimler-Benz on the same subject.

As it stands right now, it looks like most of these classes are going to be review from what I have learned in previous classes, just with a international twist on the way the information is presented. At least this will give me more time to focus on my German class, and every class I take fits in with my degree. Suprisingly enough, a semester through this program costs as much as going to RIT and living on campus for the same length of time.


I also had my first day of German today with our program coordinator, Hartwig Prüßmann. The entire class is taught in German which should make it a little harder for me to follow along at all times. However, only half the students had prior German language experience at all, so they were placed in a level 0 beginner course to go over the core basics. Because of the lack of students for an intermediate class, they have combined the intermdiate and advanced together which I am in at present. For most of the class we went over tounge twisters to get the German vowel sounds down, such as „Walter Weichweber wanderte wenigstens zwiemal, wenn das Wetter warm war, wochentags von Würyburg via Wolenhausen nach Wemelswingen“. For the most part I was able to pronounce the sentences without problem, but there were a few that I got hung up on.

I am really looking forward to this class to expand my knowlenge and vocabulary so I can carry on a full conversation before I leave. I am also considering coming back, later next year possibly, to study at the Goethe Institute in Bonn. Everything is still up in the air at this point, but it is always an option!

My schedule is as follows;
Montag
9-10:30 and 11-12:30 International Negotiations and Conflict Resolution
2-3:30 German

Dienstag
11-12:30 German
2-5:30 European Culture and Institutions

Mittwoch
9-10:30 Managing Organizations
11-12:30 International Marketing

Donnerstag
9-10:30 Managing Organizations
11-12:30 International Marketing
2-3:30 German

Fridays are reserved for city tours put on by Hartwig. This week we are going to the Amerika Haus in Köln. I have never heard of it before, but I will have to look into it. There is also the possibility we will meet up again with the US Consular General for Germany, George Knowles. We were also requested to attend a party or get together by the US Ambassador to Germany later this month. (We had just happened to meet them while we were touring the Cathedral last week and they knew of Hartwig from his past endeavors)

I also purchased tickets with a few of the students (Denise, Melissa, Nathaniel and Kristina) in our program to head out to Berlin for a long weekend, Oktober 27th until November 1st. Any suggestions on what I should do while I am out there? I am hoping to head out to Scotland and maybe meeting Angela in France, England or Germany.

We also had an amazing dinner from our host mother. I am staying with 7 other students in this huge house, mansion almost with the amount of rooms, and one is leaving soon and it was Kazahero´s birthday. To start off the night one of the Weber's former students played a few classical pieces on his clarinet as we sat around the fire. With the fire crakling before us, good friends all around in a candle lit room, we were serenaded with the likes of Mozart and other compopsers. For dinner we had beef with a rich sauce, rice, sauerkraut, warm red cabbage and an almond topped kuchen- oh, and as usual, a bottomless cup of wine. After desert we listened to some more classical music followed by some opera singing by another current Japanese student, who's name escapes me at this moment. All in all, the night lasted over 2 hours, but it was absolutely amazing!

Lastly, I should be able to post my older blogs once I buy a new power adapter and get my wireless working at the school (I must have lost it while trying to use it at school) I have also taken a ton of pictures that I am hoping to get up online soon!

-Chris

Trouble with Internet access

Just a note for everyone... I am having trouble getting online here with my laptop so I havenät been able to update. I have however been keeping a journal in Word that I can post up once I get online with it. Things are going great, Iäm having a blast and I am looking forward to visit wherever I can! Classes have been a review so far, but I have only had two days so hopefully things will pick up. Today our group went on a tour of the Köln Cathedral and it was absolutely amazing! It was originally started back around 1230. Unfortunatly my time is almost up on the computer, so I will update more as soon as possible!

Chris

Future plans in town?

Donnerstag 6. Oktober 2005

Today was more of the same in class, so nothing of consequence to really say there. For our first day of German we toured the city and sampled some of the local cuisine. Hartwig provided samples for our group from Turkish bakery and a Bratwurst vendor- which I swear tastes just likes white hots back home! We also walked through the medieval gates in town and went over the rich history of Cologne. There was also this restaurant tucked away on the side streets called the Unsicht Bar, literally the invisible bar. I’m not sure if you have heard of the restaurants were you are guided to your seats in the dark and you have dinner in utter pitch blackness. I’ve always wanted to experience this, so just maybe I will have to swing by before I leave!

First Day of Class!

Mittwoch 5. Oktober 2005

Well today was the first day of classes, bright and early at 9:00am. The morning was frigid, just like home around this time of the year. But it warms up as the day progresses. The foliage is changing just like back home, with the trees changing colors. My host family lives about an hour from the Carl Duisberg Centren via public transportation, so I had to be out of the house at 7:40 to catch the bus a few blocks down the street. From there, I took the #135 bus to the Rodenkirchen Bahnhof to catch the #16 S-Bahn. After almost half an hour I arrived at Ebertzplatz to walk another 10 or so blocks to get to class. With all this walking, it is no wonder that Europeans are in such great shape- even in Germany, where it seems that beer and bread are the staple foods. I myself walk for over an hour each day!

Unfortunately it looks like classes might be a review of what I have covered in past classes, but there are only 15 students so the participation will be much greater. Today was a short day, only two classes- International Marketing and Managing Organizations. It looks as though we will be doing a lot of case studies of companies and analyzing different aspects- which is always fun. After class we were free to go out to lunch and wherever else we wanted. After today, I am going to start packing lunches to save a little money during the week for going out on weekends.