Just thought I'd add:
- Tentative plans for a weekend in Paris.
- Tentative plans for a day in Luxembourg, ending with a concert by the U.K. band, The Streets.
- Definite plans for a day in Heidelberg, Germany (billed as "the most romantic city in Germany," also contains the oldest university in the country) for only 15 Euros, thanks to the International Center at Uni Trier.
You may ask where these funds are coming from. I say, when in Europe... eat as the Europeans do! (That means next to nothing.)
:)
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Reise!
Oh, by the by, just to make some of you jealous and the rest of you wonder how I'm going to pay for all this when ATMs eat my debit cards...
• Felix is coming from Frankfurt to visit for Halloween.
• I'm headed to Amsterdam for Thanksgiving.
• I've been invited to Cork, Ireland for Christmas (though I don't yet know if I'm going to go... lots of exchange students are staying in Trier, and that could be a really good time. But, if I don't go then...)
• My friend Paul, from Maryland, and I are going to Dublin for St. Patty's Day!
And this is only what is currently planned. :D
I love Europe.
• Felix is coming from Frankfurt to visit for Halloween.
• I'm headed to Amsterdam for Thanksgiving.
• I've been invited to Cork, Ireland for Christmas (though I don't yet know if I'm going to go... lots of exchange students are staying in Trier, and that could be a really good time. But, if I don't go then...)
• My friend Paul, from Maryland, and I are going to Dublin for St. Patty's Day!
And this is only what is currently planned. :D
I love Europe.
Money is the root of all evil
Boy, it's been a long and crazy week - already - which I am starting to get used to. (Is that good or bad?) Of course, part of that feeling of being long may have had something to do with last weekend - I really outdid myself this time. Because I have Fridays free of classes, I spent Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights in the clubs of Trier. Saturday morning, I was especially proud. I was able to take the bus home after clubbing... at 8:30 am. No worries, Uncle Scott: I was safe and in bed by 9. :) Besides, the evening was well-spent: after the club, I went to a little bar with a group of friends of mine from Mexico City, where I met the cutest little old 72-year-old man who spent the night boogie-ing away to Elvis and The Doors tunes. I also met a dude who looked like he came straight out of the BeeGees - long, straight, gray hair, the beard, the wide-collared button-up shirt and leather vest. He taught my Mexican compadres how to play spoons along with the music.
Throughout this week, a few of my classes got switched around or cancelled for the year, so I am now only taking my German speaking course, Spanish, Literature and Culture of the Weimar Republic, and the German history (Landeskunde) course. I'm also considering adding an intercultural communication class tomorrow, as it would hopefully transfer back to Hamline and count toward both my German and my global studies majors. So far, classes are going beautifully - in two of my courses, my teachers are people I know/friends from my summer course and orientation!
Things are starting to gear up a little more with my job, as I received my first task (critically proofing a summary text about a book... in English) and as our election night event draws near. The Trier Center for American Studies (where I work) is hosting an American election night event/celebration, in which my role is to both be interviewed on my opinions and my current research and also to interview an expert from Uni Trier, who will be leaving on November 8 to America to work on her Master's thesis regarding responses to terrorism post-9/11.
Interestingly (and awesomely), I was also contacted by my boss at Hamline, JacQui, who offered me another job during my duration in Germany. It would involve writing blog posts for Hamline from my perspective as a Hamline student studying abroad. I would get paid the same rate as I earned for my job at home with media relations... which would equal roughly an extra $100 a month for me! This is crazy... I'm just having jobs fall in my lap! I know it won't always be like this... which makes me even more grateful (and disbelieving)! What's even nicer is that the work consists of things I already enjoy doing. :)
So, I had a bit of excitement this week involving money. Yeah, that was slightly sarcastic. Last Friday night, I headed to the ATM near my apartment to grab a little cash for the night. I had recently been using my German bank account, but that night, I chose to withdraw from my American account, as my German account had very little money within. Well, intelligent me, I typed in my German PIN number instead of my American... then, on my second try, made a mistake typing in my American... so, on the third go, the ATM whirred and whistled, then the most beautiful words I've ever seen appeared on the screen:
"We have been instructed to retain your card."
WHAT.
It was true. The ATM ate my card. As it was a Friday night, and Germany does not believe in having anything open after-hours or on weekends, I was pretty much - well, to be blunt - screwed until Monday. So, the second I got back to my room, I started the process of transferring money from one American bank account to the other so I could withdraw from there.
Yeah. I was informed that would take 3-5 business days.
So, I figured, hey! I can always take a cash advance out through my credit card! I plugged my credit card into the ATM (a brave move, considering it was the same machine that ate my last card), punched in my PIN number... and no luck. Not a surprise, considering I'd never used my card for cash advances before (and never really want to), so why would I actually know the PIN number? I quickly withdrew my card after one attempt, not wanting to be out two cards.
So, I went home again and called the credit card company via Skype to change my PIN number. I wasn't aware how to use touch-tones with Skype, so I waited to talk to an operator... who didn't have the security clearance to change my PIN and transferred me to her supervisor... who also couldn't change my PIN, but found out there was a security hold on my card, so she transferred me to security... who took the hold off after finding that it was I who was attempting to take out a cash advance with my own card... but they still couldn't change my PIN number.
After a little playing around, I discovered the touch-tone pad on Skype, recalled my credit card company, went through the game of changing my PIN, and at the end of dialing in 8,457 digits, received the message:
"We will mail your new PIN number to your home address in 7 to 10 business days."
WHAT.
Yep.
Hoookay.
So, Tuesday afternoon, I wandered around for 2 hours by foot, looking for the local branch of Sparkasse (my German bank) to explain my problem. (Germany's roads are worse than Detroit Lakes's.) I had prepared all weekend, learning all the possible words for "The damn ATM/Geldautomat/horrible money machine from Hades stole/ate/retained/took/withheld my credit card [and is evil]." The cashier's eyes grew wide as I explained that it is my only source of cash at the moment, and she took my name and headed back into an office. After a few minutes, she came back out to ask my card number. I explained very politely to her that I only knew the last four digits... the entire number is on my actual card... which was "retained." (In my stress, I had forgotten that I actually have the numbers in safekeeping, just for such an occasion... oh well.) She left again and returned shortly, saying, "One of my colleagues is actually at the ATM right now... you should go back there and meet him." So, I book it schnell back to the ATM (a 10-15 minute walk), where I met the guy from Sparkasse, who checked my passport, returned my card to me, and proceeded to berate me and attempt to browbeat me into getting a Sparkasse account, that it would benefit me so. I didn't even bother telling him I already had one.
Thus, my precious card was returned to me. Le sigh.
Except...
My money is currently somewhere in cyberspace, between my two bank accounts, and is thus: unattainable. Huh. How ironic.
Luckily, when I checked my Sparkasse account today, just to see if I had 10 Euros left to buy bread and milk... I saw the beautiful number of 257,-€. Thank you, Uni Trier, for giving me my stipend at the most beautiful time! :D
But, hey... it makes a good story, right?
Throughout this week, a few of my classes got switched around or cancelled for the year, so I am now only taking my German speaking course, Spanish, Literature and Culture of the Weimar Republic, and the German history (Landeskunde) course. I'm also considering adding an intercultural communication class tomorrow, as it would hopefully transfer back to Hamline and count toward both my German and my global studies majors. So far, classes are going beautifully - in two of my courses, my teachers are people I know/friends from my summer course and orientation!
Things are starting to gear up a little more with my job, as I received my first task (critically proofing a summary text about a book... in English) and as our election night event draws near. The Trier Center for American Studies (where I work) is hosting an American election night event/celebration, in which my role is to both be interviewed on my opinions and my current research and also to interview an expert from Uni Trier, who will be leaving on November 8 to America to work on her Master's thesis regarding responses to terrorism post-9/11.
Interestingly (and awesomely), I was also contacted by my boss at Hamline, JacQui, who offered me another job during my duration in Germany. It would involve writing blog posts for Hamline from my perspective as a Hamline student studying abroad. I would get paid the same rate as I earned for my job at home with media relations... which would equal roughly an extra $100 a month for me! This is crazy... I'm just having jobs fall in my lap! I know it won't always be like this... which makes me even more grateful (and disbelieving)! What's even nicer is that the work consists of things I already enjoy doing. :)
So, I had a bit of excitement this week involving money. Yeah, that was slightly sarcastic. Last Friday night, I headed to the ATM near my apartment to grab a little cash for the night. I had recently been using my German bank account, but that night, I chose to withdraw from my American account, as my German account had very little money within. Well, intelligent me, I typed in my German PIN number instead of my American... then, on my second try, made a mistake typing in my American... so, on the third go, the ATM whirred and whistled, then the most beautiful words I've ever seen appeared on the screen:
"We have been instructed to retain your card."
WHAT.
It was true. The ATM ate my card. As it was a Friday night, and Germany does not believe in having anything open after-hours or on weekends, I was pretty much - well, to be blunt - screwed until Monday. So, the second I got back to my room, I started the process of transferring money from one American bank account to the other so I could withdraw from there.
Yeah. I was informed that would take 3-5 business days.
So, I figured, hey! I can always take a cash advance out through my credit card! I plugged my credit card into the ATM (a brave move, considering it was the same machine that ate my last card), punched in my PIN number... and no luck. Not a surprise, considering I'd never used my card for cash advances before (and never really want to), so why would I actually know the PIN number? I quickly withdrew my card after one attempt, not wanting to be out two cards.
So, I went home again and called the credit card company via Skype to change my PIN number. I wasn't aware how to use touch-tones with Skype, so I waited to talk to an operator... who didn't have the security clearance to change my PIN and transferred me to her supervisor... who also couldn't change my PIN, but found out there was a security hold on my card, so she transferred me to security... who took the hold off after finding that it was I who was attempting to take out a cash advance with my own card... but they still couldn't change my PIN number.
After a little playing around, I discovered the touch-tone pad on Skype, recalled my credit card company, went through the game of changing my PIN, and at the end of dialing in 8,457 digits, received the message:
"We will mail your new PIN number to your home address in 7 to 10 business days."
WHAT.
Yep.
Hoookay.
So, Tuesday afternoon, I wandered around for 2 hours by foot, looking for the local branch of Sparkasse (my German bank) to explain my problem. (Germany's roads are worse than Detroit Lakes's.) I had prepared all weekend, learning all the possible words for "The damn ATM/Geldautomat/horrible money machine from Hades stole/ate/retained/took/withheld my credit card [and is evil]." The cashier's eyes grew wide as I explained that it is my only source of cash at the moment, and she took my name and headed back into an office. After a few minutes, she came back out to ask my card number. I explained very politely to her that I only knew the last four digits... the entire number is on my actual card... which was "retained." (In my stress, I had forgotten that I actually have the numbers in safekeeping, just for such an occasion... oh well.) She left again and returned shortly, saying, "One of my colleagues is actually at the ATM right now... you should go back there and meet him." So, I book it schnell back to the ATM (a 10-15 minute walk), where I met the guy from Sparkasse, who checked my passport, returned my card to me, and proceeded to berate me and attempt to browbeat me into getting a Sparkasse account, that it would benefit me so. I didn't even bother telling him I already had one.
Thus, my precious card was returned to me. Le sigh.
Except...
My money is currently somewhere in cyberspace, between my two bank accounts, and is thus: unattainable. Huh. How ironic.
Luckily, when I checked my Sparkasse account today, just to see if I had 10 Euros left to buy bread and milk... I saw the beautiful number of 257,-€. Thank you, Uni Trier, for giving me my stipend at the most beautiful time! :D
But, hey... it makes a good story, right?
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Deutschland ist kein kaltes Land
Living here in Germany has taught me these, among many other things:
1) All international students are insane... which makes them a LOT of fun!
2) No matter what you are told, NOT all Germans speak English.
3) No matter what you are told, Germany does NOT have better weather than Minnesota.
4) No matter what you are told, not all Germans are cold-hearted.
Now, to address these assertions:
1) International students are quite a breed unto themselves. Sick? Doesn't matter. Tired? Who cares? Homesick? No money? Plow through it, brother! We don't need health, sleep, well-being, or material items to stop us from going out and having a good time! Class at 8 am tomorrow? We'll still come in at 4 am from the clubs after a long night of dancing and revelry.
Really. I kid you not. These men and women are hardcore. It's really an incredible thing to see and experience.
2) Seriously. If you are one of those people back home who told me not to worry, that a ton of people speak English, it won't be a problem... stand corrected. Most Germans DO NOT speak English. They speak phrases that they've heard through pop culture and films, or enough to make a sale. This, my friends, does NOT count as speaking English. Trust me. When you come here and try to describe contact lens solution or ask how to get to a particular bar with your lack of German and their lack of English, then come and try to tell me that everyone speaks English.
3) Ha. Ok. I might be one tough cookie from growing up in Minnesota, but really... rain every day, weird-ass changes of 30°F from noon to 6 pm, and complete weather changes every ten minutes? Germany's weather is NOT temperate. Don't even try to convince me of that.
4) Not all Germans are cold. Really. That is the biggest complaint I've heard from international students, is that it is really hard to become friends with Germans. Yeah, it might be hard to get close, but they are not all cold people. At the beginning of my orientation, a girl I did not even know came up to me and invited me to her birthday party, simply because I was from Hamline, and she had studied at St. Thomas. She was the same girl who recommended me to apply for my internship, and we are now colleagues.
Furthermore, two days ago, I was walking back to my apartment and passed a guy I only know because he works as cashier at the supermarket at which I usually shop. He asked how I was, and when I replied that I was a little sick, he said, "Oh no! Do you need anything? Tea? Honey? Orange juice? Although if you have... how do you say... a sore throat?... you should not drink anything acidic!" I replied that I was fine, but he showed up a half hour later at my house with a care package of peppermint tea, honey, eucalyptus oil, Vick's Vapo-Rub, and pineapple juice (because he thought orange juice was a little boring). He didn't even know my name! He searched the list at the door and buzzed, as he put it, "the most Anglophone-sounding name"... who happened to be my next door neighbor, another girl from Hamline. Also included in the care package was an invitation to his birthday party in a few weeks.
No, Germans are not all cold.
In other news, my course schedule is even cooler, as I was able to drop two classes that were a little beyond my level (no, I cannot give an entire final presentation in Spanish, and I really had no lust to sit through a really boring history lecture once a week), so now no classes begin before 2 p.m. except for one at noon on Wednesdays, I'm always out by 6 or 8 p.m., and I have only one class on Thursdays, none on Fridays. It's really quite beautiful. :)
1) All international students are insane... which makes them a LOT of fun!
2) No matter what you are told, NOT all Germans speak English.
3) No matter what you are told, Germany does NOT have better weather than Minnesota.
4) No matter what you are told, not all Germans are cold-hearted.
Now, to address these assertions:
1) International students are quite a breed unto themselves. Sick? Doesn't matter. Tired? Who cares? Homesick? No money? Plow through it, brother! We don't need health, sleep, well-being, or material items to stop us from going out and having a good time! Class at 8 am tomorrow? We'll still come in at 4 am from the clubs after a long night of dancing and revelry.
Really. I kid you not. These men and women are hardcore. It's really an incredible thing to see and experience.
2) Seriously. If you are one of those people back home who told me not to worry, that a ton of people speak English, it won't be a problem... stand corrected. Most Germans DO NOT speak English. They speak phrases that they've heard through pop culture and films, or enough to make a sale. This, my friends, does NOT count as speaking English. Trust me. When you come here and try to describe contact lens solution or ask how to get to a particular bar with your lack of German and their lack of English, then come and try to tell me that everyone speaks English.
3) Ha. Ok. I might be one tough cookie from growing up in Minnesota, but really... rain every day, weird-ass changes of 30°F from noon to 6 pm, and complete weather changes every ten minutes? Germany's weather is NOT temperate. Don't even try to convince me of that.
4) Not all Germans are cold. Really. That is the biggest complaint I've heard from international students, is that it is really hard to become friends with Germans. Yeah, it might be hard to get close, but they are not all cold people. At the beginning of my orientation, a girl I did not even know came up to me and invited me to her birthday party, simply because I was from Hamline, and she had studied at St. Thomas. She was the same girl who recommended me to apply for my internship, and we are now colleagues.
Furthermore, two days ago, I was walking back to my apartment and passed a guy I only know because he works as cashier at the supermarket at which I usually shop. He asked how I was, and when I replied that I was a little sick, he said, "Oh no! Do you need anything? Tea? Honey? Orange juice? Although if you have... how do you say... a sore throat?... you should not drink anything acidic!" I replied that I was fine, but he showed up a half hour later at my house with a care package of peppermint tea, honey, eucalyptus oil, Vick's Vapo-Rub, and pineapple juice (because he thought orange juice was a little boring). He didn't even know my name! He searched the list at the door and buzzed, as he put it, "the most Anglophone-sounding name"... who happened to be my next door neighbor, another girl from Hamline. Also included in the care package was an invitation to his birthday party in a few weeks.
No, Germans are not all cold.
In other news, my course schedule is even cooler, as I was able to drop two classes that were a little beyond my level (no, I cannot give an entire final presentation in Spanish, and I really had no lust to sit through a really boring history lecture once a week), so now no classes begin before 2 p.m. except for one at noon on Wednesdays, I'm always out by 6 or 8 p.m., and I have only one class on Thursdays, none on Fridays. It's really quite beautiful. :)
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Alles gut
So, the first day of classes went really well... especially since I only had Spanish class yesterday, and we discussed vowels, consonants, and "Yo soy..." phrases. (Bore me to death a little more, please...) Today has been a bit different so far, as I am somehow in a course in which we have to make group presentations on linguistic differences in various dialects of Spanish... oh, and the presentation are in Spanish. Well, guess I'll be dropping that course... which is a little disappointing, as the content is really interesting to me. In about a half an hour, I have my second Tuesday class, Jewish History in the Middle Ages. Hopefully I don't have to present anything in Spanish for that class.
It's very strange being here on the university as courses are beginning. After 2 months living here, relatively alone, all of a sudden, there are people everywhere!! It's almost like being back in high school, with random groups of people just standing everywhere, in the halls, outside the buildings, congregating for gossip and cigarettes. In both classes I've been to thus far, roughly double the amount of students who are allowed in the course (and who can even fit into the room) have shown up, attempting to get into the course. I don't know if I like this yet... the total anonymity and strangeness of a 14,000 student university. I guess now I am beginning to know what it would've felt like to go to a public university.
However, even with the complete reformation (again) of my routines and some trouble with courses and stupid online student registration programs, I'm really, really happy this week. I feel very confident, making it to all of my classes without trouble, understanding everything being said in German, and preparing myself again for buckling down and independently pushing through this semester. I have a solid social group already (dare I begin to call them friends?), all of whom are always ready and willing to make something happen. I have a solid support group back home in America... and all around the world, for that matter... who send me letters and e-mails and messages... and boxes full of spices and seasonings and socks (Thank you so much... you have NO idea how happy I was even to get a package, not to mention finding out what was inside!!!!). I am living and learning, I have no classes on Fridays, Felix is coming to visit weekend after next, and things are looking good.
The weather has even been beautiful the past few days... well, until now, as I watch it downpour outside. Thanks again for your crazy weather, Drear... I mean, Trier.
On another note, thank you thank you, all, for the letters, cards, and packages! Know that I'm putting a bundle of stuff in the mail later this week! Watch your boxes!
It's very strange being here on the university as courses are beginning. After 2 months living here, relatively alone, all of a sudden, there are people everywhere!! It's almost like being back in high school, with random groups of people just standing everywhere, in the halls, outside the buildings, congregating for gossip and cigarettes. In both classes I've been to thus far, roughly double the amount of students who are allowed in the course (and who can even fit into the room) have shown up, attempting to get into the course. I don't know if I like this yet... the total anonymity and strangeness of a 14,000 student university. I guess now I am beginning to know what it would've felt like to go to a public university.
However, even with the complete reformation (again) of my routines and some trouble with courses and stupid online student registration programs, I'm really, really happy this week. I feel very confident, making it to all of my classes without trouble, understanding everything being said in German, and preparing myself again for buckling down and independently pushing through this semester. I have a solid social group already (dare I begin to call them friends?), all of whom are always ready and willing to make something happen. I have a solid support group back home in America... and all around the world, for that matter... who send me letters and e-mails and messages... and boxes full of spices and seasonings and socks (Thank you so much... you have NO idea how happy I was even to get a package, not to mention finding out what was inside!!!!). I am living and learning, I have no classes on Fridays, Felix is coming to visit weekend after next, and things are looking good.
The weather has even been beautiful the past few days... well, until now, as I watch it downpour outside. Thanks again for your crazy weather, Drear... I mean, Trier.
On another note, thank you thank you, all, for the letters, cards, and packages! Know that I'm putting a bundle of stuff in the mail later this week! Watch your boxes!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Noch ein mal
The article's in German, so I'm sorry, dear Anglophones, but here's a photo of my entire IFK group from August, currently on the Universität Trier website.
Clicky!
Clicky!
Anfang der Kurse
So, today, I start classes, and I have to admit, I am a little bit terrified. All of my courses will be in German, with the exception of Spanisch I . (Yes, I am taking a Spanish class in Germany... I figure it may end up being the most relaxing class, plus, it should help my fundamental German.) Here are the courses I will be taking this semester:
• Deutschlandbilder in Film und Literatur (Mo 14-16h) Pictures of Germany in Film and Literature
• Spanisch I (Mo, We 16-18h)
• Das amerikanische Spanish: Ein regionaler und historischer Überblick (Tu 10-12h) The American Spanish: A regional and historical overview
• Geschichte der Juden im Mittelalter (Tu 14-16h) Jewish History in the Middle Ages
• Mittelkurs II (Tu, Th 16-18h, We 14-16h) A speaking course for German learners: high-mid level
• Landeskunde: aktuell-historisch (Tu 18-20h) Regional Studies: today-historical
• Literatur und Kultur der Weimarer Republik (We 12-14h) Literature and Culture of the Weimar Republic
As you can see, there's a lot on my plate, but it's actually not as much as most of the other international students attending Uni Trier. Instead of the credit system used in America, most of Europe seems to operate on an ECTS point system (European Credit Transfer System). In a given semester, study abroad students are typically expected to take on 30 ECTS-points-worth of classes. For me, I would find this nearly impossible... it would be completely overwhelming. Check it out:
Granted, I've got what I consider to be a great schedule (perhaps minus Tuesday), with courses from 14-18h on Mondays, 10-20h on Tuesdays (with a lunch break between 12-14h), 12-18h on Wednesdays, only one course from 16-18h on Thursdays, and NOTHING on Fridays (woohoo!). However, this is a total of 20 hours of courses per week. Yes, perhaps not as much as a full-time job, but these courses also require work outside of class, not to mention the fact that I will also have to deal with keeping up with new vocabulary in foreign language. Thus, I fully expect the total hourage of my workload to be in the area of 40 hours per week. Yet, for all of my courses, the total amount of ECTS points I would receive is a mere 21. My american Spanish and Weimar Republic courses do not have ECTS points attached. Thank goodness my home university is one of the few who will directly transfer hours in class per week into credits, and not just rely on the ECTS system.
My other worry right now is the fact that three of my courses hinge on how well I performed on a placement test on Friday. If I did not make the B2 level (which was the level I was in for our orientation), I will have to take a different speaking course (the Mittelkurs), and I will be unable to take part in Deutschlandbilder and Landeskunde. However, results are supposed to be available today or tomorrow, and if I don't make B2, that just means I will have to completely rearrange parts of my schedule and find a couple of other courses to take... which will then make ALL of my courses complete integration into the normal student population here.
...Scary.
However, I am feeling very confident about my German comprehension level, and I am excited to see how much I can handle.
In other news, I will begin my job very soon, with a short meeting on Wednesday with the two other newbies from America (both girls, one from Ole Miss and one from Truman State in Missouri) and then a meeting with all of the TCAS interns on Thursday. I'm guessing I'll be jumping right into fun, as our first big event is an American election day celebration... which is coming up altogether too fast!
In fact, on that note, in 8 days, I will have lived in Germany for 3 months. Unbelievable. I really can't get over how insanely quickly time is passing here... I'm 1/4 of the way through my study abroad experience! I get a bit homesick at times, but on the whole, I am not ready to go home yet... though it will be interesting to see how those feelings evolve as more time passes.
Thus, I leave you now to eat soup and shower. I will attempt to post again soon, with a synopsis of the last few months, during which it was so busy, it felt impossible to keep up with blogger life.
Hope all is well wherever you are!
lg, Amanda
• Deutschlandbilder in Film und Literatur (Mo 14-16h) Pictures of Germany in Film and Literature
• Spanisch I (Mo, We 16-18h)
• Das amerikanische Spanish: Ein regionaler und historischer Überblick (Tu 10-12h) The American Spanish: A regional and historical overview
• Geschichte der Juden im Mittelalter (Tu 14-16h) Jewish History in the Middle Ages
• Mittelkurs II (Tu, Th 16-18h, We 14-16h) A speaking course for German learners: high-mid level
• Landeskunde: aktuell-historisch (Tu 18-20h) Regional Studies: today-historical
• Literatur und Kultur der Weimarer Republik (We 12-14h) Literature and Culture of the Weimar Republic
As you can see, there's a lot on my plate, but it's actually not as much as most of the other international students attending Uni Trier. Instead of the credit system used in America, most of Europe seems to operate on an ECTS point system (European Credit Transfer System). In a given semester, study abroad students are typically expected to take on 30 ECTS-points-worth of classes. For me, I would find this nearly impossible... it would be completely overwhelming. Check it out:
Granted, I've got what I consider to be a great schedule (perhaps minus Tuesday), with courses from 14-18h on Mondays, 10-20h on Tuesdays (with a lunch break between 12-14h), 12-18h on Wednesdays, only one course from 16-18h on Thursdays, and NOTHING on Fridays (woohoo!). However, this is a total of 20 hours of courses per week. Yes, perhaps not as much as a full-time job, but these courses also require work outside of class, not to mention the fact that I will also have to deal with keeping up with new vocabulary in foreign language. Thus, I fully expect the total hourage of my workload to be in the area of 40 hours per week. Yet, for all of my courses, the total amount of ECTS points I would receive is a mere 21. My american Spanish and Weimar Republic courses do not have ECTS points attached. Thank goodness my home university is one of the few who will directly transfer hours in class per week into credits, and not just rely on the ECTS system.
My other worry right now is the fact that three of my courses hinge on how well I performed on a placement test on Friday. If I did not make the B2 level (which was the level I was in for our orientation), I will have to take a different speaking course (the Mittelkurs), and I will be unable to take part in Deutschlandbilder and Landeskunde. However, results are supposed to be available today or tomorrow, and if I don't make B2, that just means I will have to completely rearrange parts of my schedule and find a couple of other courses to take... which will then make ALL of my courses complete integration into the normal student population here.
...Scary.
However, I am feeling very confident about my German comprehension level, and I am excited to see how much I can handle.
In other news, I will begin my job very soon, with a short meeting on Wednesday with the two other newbies from America (both girls, one from Ole Miss and one from Truman State in Missouri) and then a meeting with all of the TCAS interns on Thursday. I'm guessing I'll be jumping right into fun, as our first big event is an American election day celebration... which is coming up altogether too fast!
In fact, on that note, in 8 days, I will have lived in Germany for 3 months. Unbelievable. I really can't get over how insanely quickly time is passing here... I'm 1/4 of the way through my study abroad experience! I get a bit homesick at times, but on the whole, I am not ready to go home yet... though it will be interesting to see how those feelings evolve as more time passes.
Thus, I leave you now to eat soup and shower. I will attempt to post again soon, with a synopsis of the last few months, during which it was so busy, it felt impossible to keep up with blogger life.
Hope all is well wherever you are!
lg, Amanda
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Jobb'd!
Frau Amanda Dutcher, Intern
Trierer Centrum für Amerikastudium (Trier Center for American Studies)
Universität Trier
Trier, Deutschland
Responsibilities will include: proofreading, translation, some public relations, and event organizing. Our first event is a U.S. Election Day event, in which I will perhaps be interviewed or do a presentation during an evening celebration while we watch the election outcomes. The biggest event of the year will be a large, multiple-day, university- and country-wide seminar about the 1950s American rebel culture and how it ties into today, sponsored by Harley Davidson Motorcycles.
I will work 3 hours per week flexibly and receive a stipend of 100€ per month.
Happy. :)
Trierer Centrum für Amerikastudium (Trier Center for American Studies)
Universität Trier
Trier, Deutschland
Responsibilities will include: proofreading, translation, some public relations, and event organizing. Our first event is a U.S. Election Day event, in which I will perhaps be interviewed or do a presentation during an evening celebration while we watch the election outcomes. The biggest event of the year will be a large, multiple-day, university- and country-wide seminar about the 1950s American rebel culture and how it ties into today, sponsored by Harley Davidson Motorcycles.
I will work 3 hours per week flexibly and receive a stipend of 100€ per month.
Happy. :)
Friday, October 10, 2008
Interview'd!
Frau Amanda Dutcher has an interview for a position at the Trier Center for American Studies on Monday at 5 pm!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Going for the Gold
So, this girl still has not had time to sit down and write anything lengthy between classes, orientation, official crap, and socialization, but I just had to share this little bit of info with you:
This girl is currently writing her résumé for an opportunity to work at the Trier Center for American Studies. A tutor/friend of mine who studied at St. Thomas last year told me about the opportunity and urged me to send my résumé to her boss by tomorrow or Saturday. She has only told two other students about it and thought that I would be a good person to add to the candidate pool.
If I get the job, it would involve some translation and proofreading, and I would receive a monthly scholarship/wage of 200 Euros!!
Wow. Wish me luck!
This girl is currently writing her résumé for an opportunity to work at the Trier Center for American Studies. A tutor/friend of mine who studied at St. Thomas last year told me about the opportunity and urged me to send my résumé to her boss by tomorrow or Saturday. She has only told two other students about it and thought that I would be a good person to add to the candidate pool.
If I get the job, it would involve some translation and proofreading, and I would receive a monthly scholarship/wage of 200 Euros!!
Wow. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Oh Mann
My goodness, have the last two weeks been crazy. Fun. Weird. Emotional. Wonderful.
Having anywhere between 2 and 5 Americans in my room every night for 14 days. Wow. It was amazing to have them here, a little trying at times when I just wanted my space, and kind of strange and lonely now that they are gone.
I will write more about recent events later, perhaps later today, after I thoroughly clean my room to get the hippie hitchhiker smell out.
So, here goes.
Having anywhere between 2 and 5 Americans in my room every night for 14 days. Wow. It was amazing to have them here, a little trying at times when I just wanted my space, and kind of strange and lonely now that they are gone.
I will write more about recent events later, perhaps later today, after I thoroughly clean my room to get the hippie hitchhiker smell out.
So, here goes.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Alles gut zum Geburtstag!
So, it's my birthday! In Deutschland! And so far, it's been awesome.
Only have a few minutes before class, but I just wanted to drop a short line and let everyone know I'm still alive and happy. (And, Scott, no one has stolen anything, ruined anything, or been sketchy.)
Went out to a couple of bars with the crusties, international students, and some Mexicans last night, and am going out dancing tonight with what sounds like will be a HUGE group!! Excited.
Happy day to you all!
Only have a few minutes before class, but I just wanted to drop a short line and let everyone know I'm still alive and happy. (And, Scott, no one has stolen anything, ruined anything, or been sketchy.)
Went out to a couple of bars with the crusties, international students, and some Mexicans last night, and am going out dancing tonight with what sounds like will be a HUGE group!! Excited.
Happy day to you all!
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