Finishing up!

It has been a few days since I have written a blog, but it has been busy now that it’s coming down to the end. On Saturday me and 4 other girls made a day trip to Berlin. Even though we had to wake up at 2:30 a.m. to catch a 3:08 a.m. bus so that we could catch a 4:19 a.m. train it was still a great day! We actually ran into one of our teachers, Dr. Jones and his wife when we got to the Berlin Wall. It turned out to be very fortunate for us that we did too. Dr. Jones and his wife had done a bike tour the day before so we ended up tagging along with them all day. They are a very fun couple to hangout with and knew a lot about the area from their tour. We ate a nice lunch with them, saw the Bradenburg Gate and the Victory Tower (aka the “Chick on a Stick” dubbed so by American Soldiers, and the name stuck!). We also saw a library that housed books that people would check out just because they were banned, so that they could burn them. In front of this library is actually the location where the books were burned and there is an underground room to memorialize this. People assumed the best way to keep people from reading the banned books was to remove them, which to me is very sad. We also saw the hotel that Micheal Jackson dangled his kid out of… We saw the area that was home to many the American Embassy and many others. It was a long day and a lot of walking, but well worth it! We would not have seen half of what we did if it hadn’t been for running into our teacher and we would not have learned half as much either.

After the long day, we were not looking forward to the train ride except for just getting back to the hotel. The trip was about 5 hours each way. And by this 2^nd hour of travel back to Bremen we started to get a little delirious and were laughing a lot, (I’m sure not to the amusement of any locals..) but we did have a good time and I got to be even better friends with the girls I was traveling with. There are about 3 girls on this trip that I am so glad to have met and definitely see myself hanging out with them once I get back to Wilmington.

Sunday we spent several hours at Starbucks studying for our final exams which are on Tuesday. We ended up meeting a girl from North Carolina there. This is very weird in Bremen because it is not a very touristy city and anyone we’ve met from America has not been in Bremen. She is graduated from ECU and is now working in Bremen, but will return home soon with her total trip being about 2 years. It was very interesting to talk to her and we were able to relate on a lot of topics. She gave us some good suggestions and advice for the rest of our trip.

Today (Monday) was our last day of classes, which is just crazy! Even for only having 8 days of actual class it flew by! On Tuesday we have both final exams, so we spent a lot of today after class studying. There is so much material in such a little amount of time and we don’t have a Reading Day to catch up. International Business isn’t so bad, but Finance is a hard class to do this short because I feel we are missing out on a lot of important things we would normally cover and probably use in future classes.

This may be repetitive, but I cannot remember if I mentioned it in a previous blog. Last Tuesday we were forced from our classroom for a fire drill. Once outside we learned it was actually a bomb threat. Fortunately we found 2 very cool beach areas down the road from the school that we returned to, but we lost about 30-45 min of class. Once we returned to class they informed us that everything was fine. We had just gotten started again when they returned only to tell us that when the police came, they didn’t actually search the building. They waited until 10:30 when the threat said the bomb was and then when it didn’t go off, let us back in. So thankfully the school decided it was best to cancel all classes for the day. So we went from 9 days of class to 8 days of class. We also had to push back an exam in our afternoon class. (Bummer…)

So now I am about to go to bed so I am well-rested for a long test day! Afterwards we are doing some last minute Bremen shopping and then all of us are going out one last time to celebrate together.

Unfortunately the internet at the hotel is very come-and-go, so sometimes my blogs may be delayed or I may not respond to an e-mail or facebook immediately and that’s probably why! I will most likely write one more time before I return home! I am so excited about coming home! I love it here but I miss my friends and family and Bayli so much! Thank you all for supporting for me and praying for me. Please continue to pray for me as I travel home! Thank you again and I hope to see you all soon! J

Week 3, Thursday

Hallo everyone! This week was supposed to be our full week of classes. On Tuesday we had what we thought was a fire drill and were forced to miss about 30 minutes of class. Fortunately we found a beachy restaurant right down the road to pass the time and study for our afternoon test. Then we heard that it was actually a bomb threat. Once they let us back into the classroom and we began to get back on schedule they came back in and told us that the cops had not actually looked for the bomb. They had only waited until the time the bomb threat said it was supposed to go off had passed and let us back in. Thank goodness the school decided that was not good and cancelled classes for the rest of the day so we go to miss our test! There was not actually a bomb, thank goodness. We really enjoyed the rest of our day off though. We walked through a beautiful park and ate lunch at a restaurant that was located inside a windmill.
We have finally gotten to spend some time in Bremen and actually see some of the city. We feel like we have been traveling so much on the weekends and spending so much time in class during the week that we haven't gotten to do several things we wanted to. This weekend though we are spending the day in Berlin on Saturday and the rest of the weekend in Bremen. I am still a little hesitant about taking a train, but everyone pray for the best! We plan on trying to go to the "beach" tomorrow, but I doubt it is anything like Wilmington.
Only one more week until I can come home! I love it here and it is a great place to visit, but I really miss my family and North Carolina! I can't wait to see everyone! :)

Weekend in Brussels!

What a long few days it has been…First of all, Brussels, Belgium is a beautiful place! I loved the city and am so happy I got to see it. We stayed in a hostel on a road off of the Grand Place, which was great for us to be able to walk to so many places so fast. The Grand Place was gorgeous! When you first walk into the expanse, it is breathtaking. The buildings have great architecture and it seemed like we couldn’t take enough pictures of each building! Walking here was much more pleasant than Amsterdam though. I didn’t always feel like I was about to be run over by something!

Saturday was actually Belgium’s National Day (whatever that is.. basically "Yay for Belgium" Day), which added to the crowds a little and closed a few of the stores. But we got to see a lot of Belgium pride and spirit and there was even a huge festival Saturday night. We walked to it in hopes of seeing fireworks, but were sad to realize the fireworks were set off in the park and were mostly blocked from our view by a building. The festival was very similar to one we would have with overpriced concessions and face painting, but they did have a lot of the army tanks and soldiers there to see. There were so many people there though!

This city is all about chocolate and Belgium waffles. Everywhere you go chocolate stores, including Godiva, and waffles with all sorts of toppings, and candy and ice cream! It was awesome!

When it came time to leave though, me and another girl who stayed in the hostel, Tori, checked out and had a great day talking and finally enjoying some sunshine. We had stayed there with 3 other girls, but traveled by train with 4 other people who stayed in different hostels. We got to the train station about 2 hours early, studied some for our Finance exam on Monday and only left once to get my friend’s last minute chocolate fill! We found the gate early and waited on our group, only for them to never show up. We were unable to board the train, because we were not the ones who had the group ticket. Come to find out Brussels has 2+ train stations and we were at the wrong one. There was actually a train leaving for the same location at the exact same time and platform, but not the right station. Little did we know this train would go to the station we should have been at on the way out. This was the start of a terrible evening for me and my friend. It is was to long to describe the whole scenario, but in short we finally arrived back to our hotel in Bremen at 6:30 am while our group arrived around 11 because somehow they had found out there were more than one station. (Not all of us having cell phones over here is starting to be a problem.) My friend and I thought someone was playing a cruel joke on us. It was definitely one of the top 5 worst nights of my life. We caught so many unlucky breaks we couldn’t even believe it. We were very frustrated, scared, lonely and lost. Thank goodness we had each other and my cell phone. One of our teachers was in touch and cared a lot, which made us feel much better. I won’t say we missed all of our trains, because several times we were there ahead of time and weren’t allowed onto the train for various reasons. All in all, it made us never want to ride a train again. We had planned on traveling to Berlin this weekend, and we most likely still will. We are just very nervous to travel with a group rate again, and about having to deal with unhelpful train station employees again. Also, people in train stations at night are not anything I EVER want to see again (especially in Koln). We hate for this to taint our view, because it is nice that people don’t have to drive everywhere, but the system has some serious flaws we have noticed. There are even more, smaller unfortunate things included in the night, but we complained enough about them on Sunday! It is over and we are out of there! To say the least... it was an experience.

But I am back in Bremen, happy to have made it back alive and in one piece! I took my exam this morning and feel okay about it. Luckily our teacher has a policy for situations like this so that if you miss or do poorly on this exam the final can replace it. After going about 32 hours on about 1 hour of sleep I was finally able to nap, wake up to get ready for bed and class and go back to sleep. (So much for getting over jet lag.) Unfortunately the internet at the hotel is very come and go, so I was unable to post this blog until now. 

Classes & Wolfsburg

Well we actually had 3 whole days of class this week! We also had our first test, which is crazy to think about having a test after only 3 days of class before that. The teachers are very understanding though and the test went well! The days are just very long and the cafeteria (or mensa) is not all that great. The campus doesn't have a bookstore or anywhere to buy a t-shirt though. We were sad about this, but apparently there isn't much school spirit since they don't really have many sports. Their schools are more about actual academics haha. I don't think they even have a workout facility (unfortunately).
On Tuesday we took a day trip as part of the program to Wolfsburg to visit the Volkswagen Plant! It exceeded my expectations. We all thought we would be touring a car factory, but Volkswagen is much more than that. The day we visited they said they had 10,000 kindergarteners there. Thank goodness it's a huge place, so we didn't feel too outnumbered... There is a different building for each model. We got to see the 2 towers that store the cars before they are brought out for the new owners. They aren't generally there for more than 24 hours though. Watching the conveyor belts go up and down to get the cars was extremely cool to watch. This is where a scene from Mission Impossible 3 was filmed.
Also there is a museum of older cars and I wanted to take a picture of every single one! They had so many older cars including some from the beginning of Volkswagen, to the 1 millionth car made to what I think she said was a type of one of the first cars ever made.
At Volkswagen there are ground in between the buildings and the factory and this is where the kids were playing while we toured. I honestly felt like I was in a car version of Willy Wonka. Volkswagen definitely cares about imagination and fun. There was a bugatti made out of all silver and is 100% reflective so would be illegal to take on the road. (That's the reason I didn't buy it.) Also, it cost 1.6 million Euro.
We went into the Audi building on our tour and it was a very interactive building. There was a ball you carried around and light up differently depending on your location. You could put it up to one of the slots on the wall and it would start a video to tell you about either what you were near or about one of the cars. All in all, this building was very creatively made and I couldn't possibly explain how through text. I will just say visiting Volkswagen is a must if you are ever in Germany! Volkswagen is probably my favorite part of visiting Germany so far! I'm so glad we got to go.
Also exciting this week, I was forced to do laundry. We were told the hotel would have laundry services, but that is not true. So about 7 euro, 2 hours and some damp clothes later that is done, even though I may have to wash more things before the end of the trip. Their washers and dryers are different than ours, mostly because everything is in German and Celcius temperature and the dials are different. We made it out with no shrunken clothes though!
Tomorrow morning I will be leaving for Brussels, Belgium. I am so excited about this trip! I plan on eating a big waffle and buying some good white chocolate. I am hoping to see some beautiful horses and a pretty place. We would like to find a castle too! I am traveling with a good group of people this weekend, so it should be a lot of fun. I forgot to take my SD card to Amsterdam last weekend so I'm double checking to make sure I have it this weekend and my charger! So I will definitely have pictures sooner from this weekend.
Today marks the halfway point! It has really flown by and I know the rest will go by even faster. At first we were all really homesick and felt like we had been here forever! Now I still miss home and everyone a lot, but I cannot believe it's halfway so I'm nervous about time flying by also. I'm having a great time though, so that makes time go by faster too!
I will try to post a blog and pictures either Sunday night or Monday! Bis später!

Amsterdam

Hallo! It is so good to be back in Bremen! Everyone agreed that we really appreciate Bremen even more now after going to Amsterdam. Amsterdam is a cool place to say you've been, but would not be the first place I would suggest you travel. It was a rollercoaster of a trip. Some of the times were really fun, but others were kind of a hassle. Our first time dealing with the trains made everyone a little nervous, but we made it there safely and got some sleep on the way. (4 hour trip- 3 different trains) I stayed with 4 other people (2 guys and 2 girls) and I definitely chose the right group to be with. We stayed in a hostel (my first time in a hostel) and it was what I've been told pretty nice as far as hostels go. We had our own locker, bathroom and bunk beds. Our door locked, but we had a fan and could open the window and look out at the canal and streets. It really was very clean, despite my expectations.
Amsterdam is overrun with canals. Initially we tried to use the water for navigating the city, but soon realized there were way too many to do that. We were able to meet up with a few of the other groups occasionally, usually by just running into them. Traveling with a group of 27 is difficult without cellphones. If I had to describe the city of Amsterdam in one word it would be "dirty." Every morning the streets looked like Franklin Street after Halloween might look. It was definitely an eye-opening experience and we all learned a lot about traveling in general. It was a VERY touristy place and the prices were higher on average than they are in Bremen. (Which is one reason we are glad to be staying here because it is more "homey")
My foot is feeling much better now! I wore tennis shoes the whole time we were in Amsterdam and it didn't bother me hardly at all. This was very convenient since we walked a lot while we were there. My group was smart and bought 48 hour bus passes and definitely got our use out of them. Still, the walking was unavoidable in a place that has streets that small and that many people. Pedestrians are definitely on the bottom of the traffic food chain there. You are constantly honked at my mopeds and bikers and trams! I am so glad to be back because I was so stressed from constantly worry about my passport and the few other valuables I had to take with me.
Tomorrow we have our second day of class, which should be a little rough. Most of us aren't used to 7 hour school days anymore. Personally, I'm excited because going to class is familiar and last week it was so bad. Being in class is the same as being in class in Wilmington so it helped with being homesick last week and will hopefully keep me from being homesick this week. (As long as it isn't too boring or hard!)
Also the jet lag has mostly worn off! Thank goodness. I feel so much better and have much more energy. Of course, as soon as I start feeling completely normal and get on a routine I'll be flying home and adjusting all over again!
One catch about the Amsterdam trip though... I (being the smart person that I am) forgot to take my SD card out of my laptop and put it into my camera for this weekend. So I didn't take a single picture in Amsterdam. Just kidding! Haha I took pictures on my phone, but I will not be able to upload them until I get home since I do not have my cord or internet on my phone. I made my friends take even more pictures, so I will probably copy a few from them and put them on facebook or snapfish for you to see.
Well I hope everyone had a good weekend and has a great week ahead! Miss you all! :)

Successful First Week

Hallo! Yesterday and today we had Cross Cultural Communication sessions instead of class. This is where we divided into groups and met with a teacher. We learned and talked about cultural differences and how to react and adjust to other cultures. We learned a lot about the cultures of our classmates from Indonesia, Mexico, India and Portugal. The quote our teacher told us that really hit home was, "The fish does not know he is in water until he is out of it" We felt this was very true because before this trip none of us really knew what else was out there and by doing this trip we have learned a lot about ourselves and about our own culture. Even though these sessions were really long, they were very beneficial.
So even though it was about 80 degrees the whole week before we were here, it has been rainy on and off and about 65 most days. This is not the weather I packed for, but today I was finally able to go buy a few sweaters!
Last night was the Welcome Party for all the foreign students studying abroad in Germany put on by the program leaders of Hochschule University. I had a blast, and so did everyone else. At first when we looked in the door we thought we were entering a prom of formal dance but once we went in it was so much fun. It was held in an area of town we hadn't explored yet. (These are the pictures of "BREMEN" and us by the water.) It was so much fun to watch the German girls dance. It was very different. Everyone sort of dances by themselves but together. There is no "grinding." They played American music. (Most music I have heard here is American or a variation of it.) Soon our whole group was on the dance floor blending in with the other students from all over. All it took to get us out there was for them to play Spice Girls "I'll Tell Ya What I Want" and the Backstreet Boys.
It has been a very successful first week and I am having so much fun! I hope everyone is having as good a summer as I am. Early tomorrow morning I will be heading out by train to the Amsterdam and the Netherlands! I will not be taking my laptop so if I don't respond or blog until then that is why. I am a little nervous about going, but almost everyone else on the trip is going so we should be fine sticking together. Everyone have a good weekend and I'll tell you all about Amsterdam Sunday or Monday! :)

Tuesday!

Today was our first day of classes! It was quite a long day though. Each class is 3 hours and we get a 45 min lunch break. The campus food is not extraordinary, and is not as good as Wilmington's and doesn't have near as many options. Also, we haven't figured out where the prices for items are yet, but usually lunch is under 5 Euros.
I am taking a finance class in the morning and an international business class in the afternoon. Both classes were very interesting today, but I think everyone's bodies are suffering from jet lag, different food, different schedules and walking more than usual etc. Not everyone in our program is taking finance, but everyone is taking INB 300 and then some. The cultural diversity in that class is awesome. We had a group discussion today and it was so interesting to hear the students from other countries talk about businesses where they are from and just to hear their opinions on the topics in general. This trip is truly one of a kind and I hope to remember and take advantage of every moment here.
It may seem like I am always uploading pictures and blogs and not appreciating my time here, but this is my down time. I have to relax and wind down before bed and on breaks or else my body would just fall apart.
After class today we finally bought our train tickets to Amsterdam for the weekend! Everyone on our trip is going, which does make me feel a little safer. I will be staying in a hostel with 8 other students. I will blog about Amsterdam on Monday!
For dinner tonight we ate at a brand new Pizza Hut in town. It was much classier than our Pizza Huts! Also, the McDonalds is very classy too. It's different how their fast food type restaurants are all the cleanest places. Most places and restaurants here are very clean, but compared to our fast foods these are much nicer.
Water has been a problem for most people these first few days. I have a water bottle with its own filter inside that I can take with me. But when I forget it, or go in a restaurant, water is hard to order. We don't like the carbonated water and the mineral water may be good for you, but it tastes bad. Sometimes the still water is okay.. but mostly I drink filtered tap water. Also, you have to pay for all water in restaurants. Sometimes beer is cheaper than water, so several students end up just drinking alcohol because water isn't free. I don't think I have even seen a water fountain. It may be that some if us are slightly dehydrated from it being so difficult to get water.
Yesterday towards the end of the tour and when I worked out, my foot began hurting and hasn't really stopped. It's ok for a little while if I rest it some, but after I start walking it begins to hurt. Luckily we don't have a tour tomorrow, but there is still way more walking here than at home. I think I may just have gotten a stress fracture from walking on the tour, but it is still a hassle.
Hopefully these blogs are not too boring to read! I miss everyone! :)