Istanbul or Constantinople?

Discovering the Taksim area by night

Merhaba. Smile, gesture, nod. In the city that truly never sleeps, my desire for communication is reduced to pleasant body language, indicating my cultural respect and utter amazement in this tourist state. Sure speaking English and German is perfectly practicable here, however in these moments I wanted to remain contemplative in my observations. The fathest east I have ever traveled, the city of Istanbul permeates with sense-stimulating air, a quality that can only be achieved from a mixture of historical richness and modernizing change. Not surprisingly, we were surrounded by a westernized capitalistic environment, which had its perks to find quaint book shops and cafes, but after a while you get tired of being seen as the foreigner with money to spend. Yet Gabe and I survived the rapid pace of touristic shopping- as it was the 'official' shopping spree month in Istanbul- to find pleasantries in the small and unique characteristics of this lively city.

Wishing folklore in Hagia Sopia

Joining a German group tour of the Blue Mosque

No matter where we would have been, the most important aspect of this trip was being together. Here I would like to acknowledge just how loving and generous Gabe has been, and how lucky we are. It is not easy nor normal to lead a Fernbeziehung (long-distance relationship) for such extended periods. Every time we come together it is a beautiful remembrance and reality of our companionship. Wandering through the streets, visiting holy sites, and breathing in the atmosphere, we once again were close with one another. An activity that we thoroughly enjoyed, which was irrelevant of space and time, was reading to one another- Gabe in his best brooklyn accent read 'The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay' by Michael Chabon, and I 'Winning Through Enlightenment' by Ron Smothermon.

Pete, Andrea, Gabe and I 

Lindsey will always be the Beste
(sorry, still can't help the pun)

Our time together was enlivened too by the wonderful people we met. We were couchsurfing most of the time during our stay, and once again would truly recommend this network to travelers. Not only were our hosts generous characters- making conversations enthralling and learning about turkish culture realistic; through this network we also met wonderful new friends- Pete the Professor of Philosophy/English, and Andrea Werner, a German Student from Alsfeld (near Gießen). We met them for a fantastic afternoon in the Istanbul Modern Museum of Art. I may be a nerd, but I was so elated to be with intellectuals, viewing art, and speaking German. Constantly, I am reminded it is a small world. Another example- we hung out with a Beste! Yes, Lindsey, the sister of one of my 'sisters' (Molly is a girlfriend that goes back longer than can be remembered), and to our fortune she is studying in Istanbul. Our two met-ups, for dinner and the Dolmabache Palace, were definite highlights of the trip. Although we were not allowed to take pictures of the inside, the Palace was an epitome of grand embellishment, and a fascinating tour with a view of Istanbul's westernized architectural/decor idealization and eastern influence. To say the least, our days were filled with culture, discussion, and love.

Jumping to where I am momentarily, I would just like to mention my brief stay in Athens. On Friday I took an unbelievable 18 hour bus ride from Istanbul to stay in Athens for one day, because later today I will be making my way to Epidavros for the week-long Kufstein Summer School. In less than 24 hours,  I recouped and enjoyed the luxury of traveling.  I explored the remarkable Akropolis ruins, not far from my delightful hostel stay; then at night I enjoyed the company of a grandfatherly Turkish antique carpet collector, Mustafa, for an evening of good food, drink and conversation. In Athens, the sun is bright and my energy is bursting for all the discoveries of the day. I hope your days are as filled with sunshine and joy!

Roaming the site of the Akropolis-breathtaking!

In Remembrance/ Im Gedenken

 Sometimes worldwide news hits close to home. Issues such as Fukushima strike my awareness and activism of global issues, but as of now I can only sympathize with the victims of the unfathomable destruction. Although engagement naturally occurs by witnessing the pain of others, there remains an inevitable distance since we are simply spectators of these hardships. Remembering the ideas of Susan Sontag, in her book: Regarding the Pain of Others, I have been reminded that an overexposure to images of traumatic events is an informational phenomenon and a possible danger in our increasing global world. However, ab und zu the news meant for masses touches our personal experience.

On Wednesday April 20, 2011 Tim Hetherington, world-renown photojournalist, was killed on the frontlines of Misrata, Libya. His active presence on war-torn frontlines placed him under constant threat.  However he continually pressed on to produce stunning work. You might have heard his name from his production of the 2007 Sundance winning film Restrepo, or perhaps from his World Press Photo nominations and awards. If you are unfamiliar with his work, please take a moment to breath in the moments his photography captures (http://www.timhetherington.com/). I came to know his work through my undergraduate research thesis. His series- Sleeping Soliders changed my view about documentation of the current war.  Hetherington's frontline photography had an ability to portray fascination while simultaneously terrifying moments. Viewing his work at the World Press Photo show was the catalyst for my thesis topic; his images stimulated my involvement and consciousness about our drawn-out, disregarded military presence in the Middle East.

It is rare that artwork moves us, challenges our state of thinking to develop and search for greater awareness. I began researching other current photographers who were making photo documentary efforts to accurately demonstrate the toll of this war on soldiers, and through images show the war in a more personal light- by displaying the portraits of the men and women in our armed forces. Amongst all of the photographers I spoke with- An My Le, Ellen Susan, and Tim Hetherington, I felt their deep seeded interest in working with the realities of war. Like Robert Capa (photojournalist who died in the First Indochina War), Tim Hetherington will be remembered as a landmark journalist of his time. His camera eye was unbelievably poetic, catching also the daily sides of life and interaction amidst chaotic worlds. Upon meeting him in New York, his good nature was immediately apparent. We spoke very honestly about the role of photojournalism and its involvement in the public’s perception of the war, and he was very receptive to all of my questions. After a personal encounter, and admiration of his work, I am truly saddened by his passing. On the day he died, the world lost an incredible perception through this incredible man’s eyes. 

To honor a man who committed his life to his works passion, I would like to reflect on my own passions and furthered journey towards finding important life work. Art has always been a passion of mine, and I have used this outlet to express many concepts, as well as to challenge and inspire others to reflect about certain issues. For the past few weeks my spare time has been filled with finishing a body of work that will soon be displayed in Gießen. The show: I Carry Mit Mir, is a collection of portraits from my beloveds, both new friends in Germany and family/friends in the states. It is a fluid Gesamtkunstwerk that is meant to show how we are inevitably influenced by relationships- both between other people and places. I’ll post more pictures after the opening, but if you can be there in person it will be quite the blast! And I’ll be performing with a French friend of mine… wow, the first time since Whirligigs!

Making art on the rooftops of Gießen

My Kunst AG after we just assessed value of legal (gallery) and illegal (street) art

Importantly though, I have been graced with realizing the power art, and how it can change a community. Even in my very small art club (Arbeitsgemeinschaft) that I formed at the Ohmtalschule, a weekly time investment yields an incredible connection with these students and their creative potential. A few weeks ago my colleague Holger and I took them on a day trip to Frankfurt to visit two different museums- MMK and Shirn (great contemporary museums). The attention was focused on art the entire day; from my instructions to sketch strangers in the train, to museum tours and workshops, to creating our own Happening (flash mob- improvisation game called the Machine). It was such a memorable, magnificent day! This was an indication too that art needs to somehow be involved in my lifelong work!

Whether it is our life’s passions or simply our day-to-day job, I believe work always should come second to family and our closest relationships. That is why, no matter what other job offers I had for this year, I realize this move to Germany was vital because I am becoming close with the side of my family that I wanted to know better. Last weekend I became the Godmother of my only nephew- Jan. It was a blessing to have this nine-year-old ask me to be his Taufpatin, and then to take on this role as an important go-to adult in his life. It is a real honor and responsibility to be a role model, but the best part is to remain honest, patient, and good-hearted.

This post, in dedication to Tim Hetherington, is written with thoughts of a man who was a role model for journalists and artists, for persons with convicted spirits, who work for what they believe is right, and what needs to be addressed.

My French brother Alex also spent the week with me in Gießen! 

All three- Jule, Stine and Jan were baptised at the same time,
so it was a grand event.

Wunder des Winters/Wonders of Winter.... long overdue

As you probably have noticed by now, the less I write, the busier I am. The months of February and March whizzed by making the short winter days filled trotzdem (nevertheless) with joy. Finally I am sitting down, in my newly reorganized room (spring cleaning rocks), with sunlight streaming in the direction of my desk- my computer whispering... 'Kyra, you need to sit your tush down, reflect, and write.' If my computer could talk I also think he would be agitated how much I use him without much thought. His energy-life source is slowly petering on me as he is a constant connection to my work and communication with loved ones. 

His memory is currently full with saved projects and new ideas, as I am furiously writing, especially for two reasons. First, is a fantastic new project, in which I am translating a website for antique tiled-stoves. Sounds a little off the beaten path, but that's exactly why I'm entralled combining my art history affection with language! It is truly wonderful to be a nerd; especially when it comes to identifying styles amongst this the largest stove collection in all of Germany. I became involved with this project because my friend/colleague's brother-in-law is the antique collector and owner of this business. He is also a very worldly and cultured man, so I feel especially grateful to be part of this, as well to meet his fascinating connections. I am sure this news will be a part of my future blog writing... so there will be more to come.

Secondly, I am writing applications. Applications for jobs, internships and conferences. Basically I'm putting my feelers out into the world because I see the finish line of this Fulbright year approaching with tremendous speed. My plan as of now: enjoy the rest of this year- going to Istanbul over Easter with Gabe, then to Greece for a week-long Summer School Program about Creating Cultural Leadership. This is the website link if you are interested: http://www.fh-kufstein.ac.at/eng/Events/2nd-Kufstein-Summer-School-2011. I am taking every opportunity at the moment to see where it leads, and I believe that this program in Greece will lead to at least amazing ideas. Basically I am keeping eyes and ears open in both Germany and the States. At this point I know my talents of working with people, communications, teaching, and art education; and I also recognize my passion for international awareness, cultural studies, and education advocacy. My definite plans however have a date: I have a return plane ticket to New York for June 30th. When I return to Germany is just a question of time. 

So, you're probably wondering how I can compact two months of unbelievable experiences into one blog. Well, I can't. The summaries will be mostly based on my travel timeline- first Heidelberg, Köln (Cologne), then Berlin. Berlin deserves it's own though... and you'll read why.

My first impressions of Heidelberg: quaint, isolated, tourist haven, stunning.  I was there at the beginning of February for the Fulbright Formal Winter Ball. Yes, quite the treat! This preserved city gem has a beautiful University and German baroque-style old town center. Of course I visited a massively impressive castle and celtic ruins atop of the surrouding mountains- it's Germany right. This weekend was completely refreshing, from the old-German attractive atmosphere to the protected valley climate, it warmed any residual winter woes that I incured from the Kahlheit (bleakness) of Gießen. Plus, I had the warming welcome of a tremendous Couchsurfing host, James- an American working for the military in Heidelberg. His apartment (conveniently located in the center of the historic district), was only a few blocks from the imaginable tourist sights and also the elegant state building where the ball took place. This weekend was such a great example of how Couchsurfing is an invaluable experience. James actually came to stay surf with me in Gießen last week, and so the circle of good karma continues. The Ball? Can't forget the reason for coming! A memorable evening of dinner, dancing, and enjoyable conversations with German Fulbright recipients and other ETAs. Just what I expected- a good time. 

Now Köln. Whew, if you have knowledge about German traditions and where/how they're celebrated, then when I say Karnival in Köln I bet images come to mind. Cologne is known for the spectacular craziness that are the days before Lent. We didn't make the opening on 11/11/11 at 11:11, but we arrived in Köln on Sunday, and left late the next day on Rosenmontag. My friends- Rick, Ginger, Zoe and Björn- and I were definitely mild on the scale of celebraters; but we definitely had a fun time especially because it was Zoe's birthday on Monday. Costumes were in order as you can tell from the picture below. Rick was a mime, Zoe- well that wig says it all, I was an Indianer *Germans have a strange fascination with Native American stereotypical culture (but I was happy to loan the costume from my flatmate), Ginger a pirate,  and Björn a clown. And were we successful at this parade! Not only Ginger got a lot of booty- arg matey... we all had bags full of candy and flowers. Incredible! This is not even comparable to American parades; here I saw a man bleeding from a giant chocolate bar that hit his face. 

Karnival Umzug (Parade) Booty!

 Naturally these two weekends were quite spectacular, but also in these two months I enjoyed the ease of routine and work at my school. Another wonderful realization is that it is quasi-routinue now to visit my family in Fulda. I was there for my niece's birthday weekend, and thoroughly enjoyed the 12-year-old group of girls that were over to celebrate. What else- exercise along with spring is bouncing back into season. I've started mountain-biking and a fitness-club membership, so my days of that lovely sore muscle feeling is back! Woot! Now that the sun is shining, and it's the weekend I will bid you adue to enjoy these summer-sunlight hours.

Hope your days are filled with brightness! Es geschehen noch Zeichen und Wunder- Wonders will never cease!

Liebe Grüße

überwechselnd=crossing over

This post is dedicated to Ariel Lawson. No matter how long since your physical being left us, your spirit resounds in our hearts. Thoughts of you help me breath, learn, and think in some of the most critical moments. You have taught me that strength and goodness of heart surpass death. 

I love you.

On the way to work this morning, I had one of those striking moments of collective satisfaction. My goodness, I can only be grateful. These moments have not been seldom, rather they occur on a consistent basis, sparked by cohesive beauty such as united meaning in thought and present experience. Sitting meditatively, listening to Xavier Nadoo's 'Der Kreis' (if you don't know his music, find it!), my thoughts wandered as they often do to love. My waves of thought drifted from Gabe to my mother, friends to relatives, Ariel to uncovering new love for myself. A French couch-surfer I met the other night said it best; first you must deeply love another person, then yourself, and finally mankind. However, I believe this order ist egal, it is only a matter of experiencing acceptance of self and other. My time in Germany is teaching me many things, but in particular daily experiences reinforce the love for fellow man.


Today I was correcting texts of 10th graders that are reguarded as 'weak students'; the prompt being: what will happen in the future? Reading through grammar mistakes, their message was clearly present. One especially was remarkably poignant and beautiful. This student normally sits quietly, reserved to answer due to a prominent speech impediment. Most days I observe his eyes to measure where and how his attention is being held. As I was correcting his assignment his eyes were on my reaction. Immediately I could see the thought, effort and time put into his answer. What will his future bring? He wants to have a good job, wife, a son and two daughters. He wrote about his siblings, parents, and about his own heart failure. Punkt. Pulling my heart deeper, his last sentence was his desire to return to the school in three years to visit his teachers. No matter how long we share this earth with others, we want to be loved, we want others to be proud of us. My own future holds many uncertainties, where I will go after this year, what will I pursue...etc.; and yet it is so good to realize I am normal, that questioning and uncertainty is a familiar part of each individual's life. 



The only certainty is that life continues to move. It is amazing to me how one day I will be looking forward to a specific event, and before I know it that event it over and I'm concentrating on the next bridge. However, I have been conscious about enjoying my time as it comes and embracing walking over the bridge that is underneath my feet, not solely the next one on the horizon. In this manner I can only give you a brief synopsis of my wonderful winter break back to the states. I laughed, loved, and shared wonderful party moments with friends. Okay specifics: After a few days jet-lag recover time, Gabe and I flew to Minnesota for Christmas. As usual, time back in MN consists of the hustle and bustle to see friends and family, and although it kept me on my toes, to connect with loved ones is utterly beautiful. I especially cherished seeing my brother, Vicki, Kinsey, Mary Bildsoe, the Carlson Clan, Molly, and some of Gabe's friends. Fortunately too, my break was filled with cousin-time! Gabe and I spent Christmas with my Aunt Margo and Uncle Mike, Monica and Shawna (cousins that are more like sisters), and then celebrated with the family at Monica and Mike's engagement party. The next day was back to New York- we amazingly returned safely and swiftly amid the drastic winter weather.


Back in New York we hunkered into our warm routine of seeing friends, enjoying each other and the city. How lovely to still walz into Outpost Cafe and be greeted by workers who've been waiting for your return, or to visit the Lyons to have the kids immediately and affectionately climbing all over me. These are the best parts of returning to the old familiar. My Shawna brought a little more sunshine to the city by visiting over New Year's. Avoiding the Times Square Crowd, we watched fireworks from a Queen's rooftop at our friend Abby's incredible house. Good time, good times. Other phenomial aspects: seeing Lydia, Rozana, Janeen.... the whole crew, and a special visit from Pat Weise and his mom. Returning to Germany brought a less intense parting because 1. Gabe and I will be romantically reunited in Istanbul in April and 2. I am overjoyed to be able to continue my work, study, and life here in Germany for another few months. 

Tom, Rick, myself,
our Couchsurfing host Charlie, and Doug

Celine and I practice our skating moves!

Another note to add: 
I took a trip to Paris with a group of good friends from Gießen. Our adventurer friend, Doug Donnellan was flying from Paris, leaving Gießen after settling for down for a few months. He is quite an inspirational fellow, spending the last year traveling the world filming a documentary on Geo-tourism (it's great, check out EcoTravel Media). I will miss his constant energy and positivity here, but I have a feeling our travels will reconnect us at some point. So, we took a road trip, the boys and I, and made it to Paris to spend an incredible weekend. My lasting memory too of this journey was a special Ameliesque day spent with my dear friend Celine Mancel. Since I have no phone we arranged a surprise meeting. We only knew where: at the Sacre-Coeur Basilica when: 9am  and how: in costumes. We toured around the city stopping for chi gong in the park, ice skating and naturally a cafe visit. Beautiful, beautiful day. 


Well, I'm off to Heidelberg today for the Fulbright Ball, so I must pack. I am sure there will be plenty of commentary about this elegant weekend, but I can only tell you about the journey after I've crossed over the bridge. My parting wish for you is that you have the courage to change, and to move toward recognition of love and equality in every new situation that arises.

von ganzem Herzen,
Kyra

Kinder machen die besten Fotos! Kids take the best pictures!

I'm back, after the long awaited weekend with my family. The snow is falling heavy and fast onto the streets of Gießen, keeping me content and comfortable in my warm room. The past few days were really exceptional, and I have been left with a deep satisfaction. Over the weekend, I came together with all of my half-siblings. This is a complicated story for those you are unfamilar, so I'll just set the foreground; our father had three families and five children spanning a 25 year difference. I am the youngest of this unusal partridge family, and therefore bring to the table a naive perspective to our father and the history of our family. Therefore, spending time with my brothers and sister provides a lot of insight, along with simple enjoying one another. For me, blood relation is a very astonishing connection.

I firmly believe that family can also incorporate those who we choose to admire and love. Growing up I felt extremely connected with friends and their families, but still I have longed to have a tangible kinship consisting of healthy relationships. Put simply, I am grateful for the loving, supporting family that I have. I learn something from everyone, and therefore this desire to get to know family better is an undying urge to further develop my own identity and character. Importantly, having nieces and a nephew propels my hope to be involved. Acknowledging this side of the family broadens the love and support, and that is especially great for the youngest generation. It is evident my siblings have similar feelings.   We could go our whole lives without seeing one another, they have their own families, and life continues to be busy; but it's nice to know that we share an interest in spending some time together. Boiling it down, I'm still smiling from thinking about the weekend. Now I'll cut my blabble and tell you some of the things we did with pictures (most of them taken by Jule, Stine, Kinsey and Jan).

 My brother Alex, niece Kinsey and her dad/my eldest brother Mike

We checked out the Weihnachts-
märkte in Rothenburg
(city known for its year-round Christmas spirit) and Fulda. The evenings were filled with holdiay joy, süßigkeiten and warmth.

I would have named him Milo

Kinsey with Lucy und Pauly

We ate well and enjoyed the outdoors. Going for a wander in the Rhön, I happened upon a new friend. This little cat almost became my new pet; just as we got out of the cars he ran up to me and was completely content snuggling in my arms. He even followed our pack like a dog along our walk. I felt like my niece  Kinsey, who was absorbed in the love of my sister's docile cats.

Family from my eldest brother and sister joined in for the fun arriving from Nord Deutschland for the day. It was fun to talk about politics with Walter, Berlin with Merike, and german-american cultural differences with Elke. And of course even though there was a lot of good discussion, I enjoyed being the goofy grown-up. Teaching camp songs that became the kids latest Ohrwurm, especially the beaver song and Button Joe, new favorites.

 Of course to take advantage of the freshly fallen snow we enjoyed the glorious winter wonderland sledding. Even Mike and my sister Merve were shooting down the hill at top speeds. I became a master of the disk sled flipping even single attempt and ending up with more liquid in my pants than what I drank that day.

Sunday even after drawing portraits of the kids, Merve and I attempted to watch Tatort but ended up snoozing on the sofa. I must say, although Tatort has become a new favorite of mine, last night's plot was moving pretty slowly. I'm pressing the thumbs for next Sunday. 

All in all it was just what the weekend was suppose to be, good time together. I left early this morning, going with Mike and Kinsey to the Fulda Bahnhof, then catching my own train home to Gießen. Now it's time to get ready for classes.  Lastly here is best photo from the weekend, taken by Stine. After I drew a portrait of her she started taking pictures of inanimate objects-carpet, pillows, chairs asking if I could draw them later. Kids are so cool.

Keep that warm light of love glowing. 

Stay healthy, wealthy (in terms of character traits), and well

this winter!

Die Welt liegt dir zu Füßen! The World is your oyster

For the last month there has been an item on my Aufgabenliste (to-do list), that just never seemed to get done. This blog has been sitting on the back burner for too long, and if you are someone that has even taken notice, thank you, and now will catch you up to speed. So much has happened while gleichzeitig life has been very steady. Routine is a way of life that passes time with little reflection; this has my last month: teaching, tutoring, studying and naturally enjoying time with friends. Contemplating a documentation of my thoughts and experiences, I return back to the notion that the world is full of possibilities. This year is a wonderful experience in itself, but also a transition point in which I have the time to think about what steps to take next. Everyone makes plans and goals for the future, but I feel especially fortunate and have the freedom in my life to choose a suitable route amongst the numerous directions available. Deciding this path is made a lot easier by a close circle of friends; so this Thanksgiving I felt eminently dankbar für the love and support of  friends and family, and the excitement of having a Freundeskreis here in Germany.

Okay, so what have I done? Here are some highlights:

Wells Reunion in Germany! This world seems so small when a current Wells student lives only 15 minutes away from me by train. Bryant Sanders, a current Junior is studying abroad in Marburg, a quaint small city north of Gießen that was not bombed during WWII. We met up, and Bryant showed me around through the cobblestone streets lined with unique shops and cafes. We walked to the Schloss (castleWe conversed about Wells, the future, and life in German... all in German (I was impressed by his improvement!) A week or so later he came to Gießen to see the not as beautiful but still very comfortable city.

More recently I went back to Marburg with the Gießen gang to enjoy the new Harry Potter film in original-meaning not dubbed. Hearing Harry auf Deutsch just wouldn't be the same. 

Another highlight was our Kollegen Ausflug (excursion) to Point Alpha. Most of the teachers and administration were able to come on the overnight stay. First we congregated at the former US Army Standort (Garrison) along the Hessen/Thüringen border during the DDR. Lying in the Fulda Gap, the incredible landscape still carries the unbelievable history of this division. I knew elements of this history from Germans personal accounts of the DDR period, and from visiting Check Point Charlie in Berlin. The Grenzmuseum was fabulously displayed the story through multi-faceted methods, but the entire tour is shivered me to know these tragic years are in the memories of many today. History has a way of repeating itself; so it is very upsetting to me when current news reports deaths along manmade physical borders such as between Mexico/US and Israel-Palestine. Such reminders fuel my passion to work towards a life embodying peace. After a heavy history lesson, my colleagues and I had lightened up the night with naturally German food and drink. Talking, dancing, and eventually singing with colleagues that I don't get a chance to work with, was especially rewarding. 

Unfortunately, as many of you know, I often get swept away with life at hand and forget to take pictures. So although I did many other things including visiting my sister for a weekend, dinner parties and dancing nights, I have little to show but memories. I'll leave you with one last picture this time of some Halloween fun. Can you guess who I am? Alright, I'll give you a few clues, because they're needed. I should be wearing a red wig, I'm one of my favorite German movie characters, this movie was ground-breaking with its inclusion of animation along with live-action filming. Anyone? If you guessed Lola Rennt (Run Lola Run) you are my new favorite person. There have been two holidays that occurred since my last blog post-Halloween and Thanksgiving. Although were not as highly appreciated here as they would have been in the states, I celebrated then with special recognition that bringing my holdiay enthusiasm warms the chilling weather. With that... it brings me to a new post. 

Take care! 

Momentaufnahmen/Snapshots

Wowza, what a whirlwind. More than a month, and I'm finally back to write you again. As is life, it goes by quickly, and it is often difficult to recall for friends the most significant aspects of our experiences. Yet, here it goes: I returned to Gießen this week after ten marvelous days of travel. My trip seemed to be the typical American-style see-all-you-can in a short timeframe, but in reality it worked out quite pleasantly to make such a Carmen-Sandiego style adventure. Normally I would enjoy discovering the small sidestreets of a city for weeks, nonetheless visiting a number of friends in various cities enabled me to do just that. My trip consisted of: Italia, Deutschland, and Danmark. Traveltime to Bologna, München, Kopenhagen and Berlin was an extensive part of my vacation, but experiences from the road were just as engaging and exciting as the rejuvenating stays with long-time friends. I bring you this journey in memorable snapshots. Hab Spaß!

The first official day of Herbstferien from my work at the Ohmtalschule, I was given a generous free lift from my lovely Betreuungslehrerin and her husband. Side note: I feel truly grateful to have such an amiable person as my support teacher. At school, I admire her greatly for her strong and interactive teaching style, and I feel as though I will learn a lot from her this year. Back to the story- we flew down the Autobahn, breezing by a serene landscape. As we came into Bayern, I was often at a loss for words, as the flat sun-kissed fields became roaring mountains. This was my first time in southern Germany, and it was just as picturesque as I had imagined. We stopped for lunch at an old, and I mean 16th century old, traditional Gasthaus. Not only did the decor of animal trophies and classical landscape paintings make the experience, the sensational creamy fresh wild mushroom dish I ate left a lasting impression. After our meal we scooted over the border into Bozen, a quaint Italien city, where I said farewell to my delightful driving hosts. I had some time before my train to Bologna, so I wandered aimlessly through this magnificent place. Embedded in the foot of the Alps, Bozen is surrounded by sprawling vinyards, immersed in a dual-language culture (which helps because my German is much stronger than my minimal Italien), and it is packed with eye-catching people. Most importantly of which to me were the children. I arrived on the kid's play day, so in the main square there were toys of all shapes and sizes. Those who know me will be nodding their heads at the fact that I was in my glory- with adorable small children running around speaking various languages! I was reluctant to leave, but knew my good friend, and only college roommate, awaited me in Bologna.

 Bologna, although I was only here for a few days, filled me with historical facts, warmth, and a satisfied stomach; therefore, I dream of returning. Rozana and I wandered around the city with her childhood friend, and our host Ainab. We walzed through the streets being serenaded by broadcasted opera music; we lavished in an evening Gelatos and glasses of red wine; we toured some of the famous sites with attentive eyes, and hears attuned to listening to glorious italien words. I tested my minimal Italien, and wound up in very funny/compromising situations: such as ordering a Gorgonzola cheese pizza with mushrooms, and having two separate ginormous pizza pies being placed before us. But I needn't be fluent in Italien to enjoy the oldest University dating from 1088, or the etruscan/roman art, or the visible religious culture (the woman above was one amongst many participating in a catholic celebration, that filled the air with a subdued energy, repetitive chanting, and strong waves of incense). This leg of my journey was incredibly restful for both Rozana and I, but eventually we had to part ways- I continuing to Munich, Rozana making her way back to New York. Side note: If anyone knows of an available apartment in NYC or someone searching for a flatmate please get in touch, it would help Rozana tremendously.


Munich/München was delightful; the less-than-24 stay consisted of a reunion evening. To break up my long train trip from Bologna to Copenhagen I planned two stops: Munich and Berlin. A few weeks ago I heard that an old high school friend, Brian Holmes, has been living in Munich. We connected, and after (can it be true) more than five years since high school, we caught up. I arrived in the heart of the city-

Marienplatz, and walked around this gorgeous/wealthy city until Brian finished work. I saw it as a sign that this was the right place to be when I immediately happened upon a classical piano concert on the platz. Catching up with Brian over a few drinks, I heard exactly what I expected--that he is doing very well, settled into a good business job, running marathons, and happily situated in Germany. Quite the inspiration, literally. At his place I saw a form for the Vienna half-marathon in April. Wien... ich komme.  Hopefully I will see Brian again soon; I talked up the Weinachtsmärkte around Hessen, and gave an open invitation for friends to stay and experience the glory that is Christmastime in Germany. Let me know if you want to join in the fun! So I was off again on the road/train tracks, having interesting conversations on the route, and arriving in Berlin for another enjoyable time with Rachel, my friend from the FU-Best Program, before a early departure to Copenhagen.

Cami, Julia and Clem were  the best statues of the evening


Land of the Danes: sleek, modern, schön. Copenhagen is a great city to visit; yet more importantly, the friends that I was visiting made the trip unforgettable. I reunited with Julia once again, yet this time in the warm, inviting home of Yrja- our Norwegian friend who's studying veterinary medicine in Copenhagen. Also visiting were Clem and Cami, Julia and Yrja's French friends from Toulouse. I had heard so many stories about these two for the last few years, that we immediately felt a strong connection. It was striking how well our energies connected, making the whole experience simultaneously comforting and thrilling. Immediately, when I got of the bus in Copenhagen, I was already on an adventure; they had planned a sort of scavenger hunt involving a candle light path, flute concert and finally a wild goose chase.  For a few days we biked around the city; naturally Julia and I comically incurred some major stories and minor bruises from biking accidents. Another memorable moment was in front of a sculpture museum. It was culture night in the city; meaning museums, theaters, the university, and other institutions were open until midnight. Our visit to the Thorvaldsen Sculpture Museum (a glorious exhibition of Bertel Thorvaldsen's (1770-1844) classic sculptures and reliefs, as well as his Antiquity collection) was especially mystic. The rooms were lit by dramatic colorful spotlights, and walking around the museum was a solo saxaphonist playing smooth abstract jazz. Julia and I took the opportunity of the spotlight, the music, and the time we were waiting for our friends to create a modern dance performance outside on the grand museum staircase, in front of many onlookers. It had been a while since I've laughed so heartily.
While in Copenhagen, Julia and I made two visits with familial connections- we had dinner with Alex Bildsoe's cousins and spent an after-dinner evening with Peter, a Carlson family friend and ex-boyfriend of Julia's sister. Both were exceptional visits, consisting of good conversations on politics of Danish immigration policies, culture, and energy consumption, as well as wonderful homemade food. Importantly through this entire trip, I have eaten very well. I do not mean it was expensive or extravagant food, more filling it was prepared with friends, and slowly enjoyed. One evening with the clan we made pumpkin soup and two pumpkin pies, and still had half a gigantic pumpkin left.  Every part of this trip was savory, in multiple senses, so again, it was difficult to say goodbye.


Last remarks: The first picture shown on this post was a precursor to this story. I found a mitfahrgelegenheit (convenient rideshare) to Berlin with a dance group. When I first came to the meeting site for this ride I went first to a mini-van with a middle-aged woman sitting at the driver's seat. Wrong. The bus I was scheduled to take was the huge touring bus already loaded with dancers in their sixties and seventies. This ride was at the top of the charts; I was generously given sweets, food, drinks (including champagne), laughs, and lessons of traditional German songs. To top it off I immediately got along with my neighboring seat companion-- a swedish movie actor traveling to Berlin for a theater performance. We had a great discussion; most remarkable to me was his perspective of fatherhood. He is my age and has a son who is six; his outwardly affectionate description of parenting was an exceptional glance at what I hope to experience in the future.
 Along this trip I enjoyed meeting and listening to the paths of others, and as I returned to Gießen I reflected that I too, am heading down a beautiful path that is meant to be shared.


Wishing you an educational enlightenment!
Take care.