Reflection from May 9th

Hello from Germany!! I can't believe that we've been traveling around the country for one week now... Each day is packed with museums, tours, workshops, and theater. This isn't my first time in Germany, but this trip has revealed so much more about German culture than my previous times here. Experiencing several theater shows has provided our group with an honest reflection of Germany today and their attitudes towards current events. Some issues I have specifically seen represented on the stage have been the following: the ongoing refugee crisis, world relations, Holocaust scholarship, and reparations. It truly amazes me the ways in which the theater can perform pieces dating back to the 1800s but still include references to controversial current events. 

The first work of German theater I saw on this trip was "War & Peace" staged in the Kammerspiele. The company’s adaptation of this classic had me raving for hours after the show. After seeing "War & Peace", I think I finally understood what German Theater truly means and how it differs so starkly from shows I have watched in the States. This performance did not attempt to recreate the seemingly-never-ending novel by Tolstoy, but rather the script focused on certain elements of the story to create a cohesive and interactive interpretation. 

To date, "War & Peace" has included the most controversial commentary on current events. I was amazed by the actor’s references made to the German history. At one point in the show, two actors (one a German and the other an Englishman) were berating each other on stage with one political insult after another. I found it fascinating that whenever the Holocaust was brought up on stage, it was the English actor delivering the lines. In fact, he shared a personal anecdote of stemming from Jewish lineage and recounted the family he lost as a result of genocide. The German actors never voiced anything related to the Holocaust, but I still found and  the blatant Holocaust jokes to be a strong statement on stage. I’m looking forward to uncovering more about German culture by attending theater. Everything has been great so far, and I am very excited about what is to come. Tschüs!! 

May 11th - Mountain Adventures

Yesterday we arrived safely at our hostel in a little town at the foot of the Alps. I decided this morning to get up before the rest of the group. Something about taking a solo adventure through this little town seemed appealing. I quickly ate a breakfast of bread and jam and headed out the door. I ended up following a little stream that took me through a few quiet neighborhoods. The narrow gravel path that I walked along was lined with cute old houses whose yards were lush with green grass and colorful wildflowers. People strolled by with their dogs happily off leash. I looked up a few times to see that most people were smiling at me, a very unusual thing for a passing german to do. The walk became more and more dreamlike the more I noticed my surroundings, and everywhere I turned there seemed to be something that caught my eye; 360 degrees of fairytale-like serenity. Fifteen minutes had passed and I had already vowed to myself that I'd come back here one day, planning my fantasy lifestyle sustained on bread, jam, and simplicity. The morning was beautiful to say the least and I returned back to the hostel ready to join the others for our next big adventure: endeavoring into a mountain.

Through the town we walked to the base of the mountain, saying "Grüß Gott" to the happy locals along the way. We passed goats, sheep, and two alpacas contently grazing in their respective pastures, oblivious to our excited photo-snapping and obnoxious touristy presence. We made our way upwards gradually, following a steady drop in temperature. The path grew narrower and the river that flowed peacefully through the town suddenly became loud and angry. The steeper we climbed, the louder the roar of the river became. Finally we entered the mouth of a narrow, dark cave that led us to the left wing of one of the most incredible works of nature I have ever witnessed: the Partnach Gorge. From the belly of the beast I felt very small. Below me bellowed the ill-tempered river, and above me there was several hundred feet of rock going straight up in both directions. It was as if the river had sliced a hallway right into the side of the mountain. It was stunning and inspired an urgent desire to learn how to rock climb.

I believe all 13 of us left the mountain today with a better understanding of what "being in nature" means. It's not something we can find on our phones, read in a book, capture in a photo, or even replicate in art. To me, "being in nature" is about being present and today I think we all chose to live in the moment, making our trip to the mountains that much more beautiful.

Sculpture Museum

It has been an eventful week for me. Not leaving the state of Michigan for more than 2 years and then taking my first trip on a plane, and first time out of the country. I thought, at first, everything would be the same except for the language obviously. But when I got here I learned it differs so much from the States. As soon as we were landing I saw meadows and fields of flowers. In contrast to the gross city concrete in Grand Rapids. But as far as experiences on the 7th we made a trip to gliboteck museum where there are tons of statues. It was unreal. We first made our way through the museum, spending an hour or so admiring the extremely old art. What really made us appreciate the museum even more is that we went outside after, on a perfect day, and designed our own little sculpture heads. Made us understand the extreme skill and difficulty of sculpting. Everything has been absolutely unreal for me, this place, our instructors, this group. Can't wait to see what else Germany has in store for my first international trip.

May 7th, 2016

We have been in Munich for a couple days now. Needless to say, we’re practically locals now. However today, we had the privilege of receiving a fantastic tour around Munich. Not only did we learn some interesting German history, but we gained an entirely new perspective on the city of Munich. We were all blown away that for 860 years Munich was ruled by the same family: the von Wittelsbachs. That is longer than any other family has ruled in Europe. For those who don’t know, the German name of Munich is München, and today, we finally learned the etymology of that word. Long ago, Munich was a poor town, ruled by king Henry the Lion. Henry was envious of the neighboring town of Salzburg, which was rich because it controlled the only bridge over the Isar river. One day, Henry no longer wanted to be envious, so he decided to do something about this problem. He sent troops over to Salzburg to destroy the bridge, and then, conveniently, built his own bridge. The caravans that used the bridge in Salzburg were appalled when they saw it was destroyed; how were they supposed to get over the river? But no worries, Henry simply had people guide the caravans towards his town, which had a bridge “bei der München”, which translates to by the monks, since there was a monastery near the bridge.

This history is incredibly important to the city of Munich, and it’s obvious to see due to the many references to lions and monks embedded within the architecture of the city. Without the tour we received, it would be impossible to understand the city in depth. Although we have had many excellent educational experiences up to this point, this one has been one of the most enlightening. Travelling is all about opening your eyes to different parts of the world and being able to understand the world you know in an entirely different light. Learning about the origins of Munich within the context of the world has given us the ability to do so. There has been an extensive past left behind us, not only in America, but around the world, and today, we were able to discover a portion of that past and apply it to the present; a satisfying, and worthwhile experience to say the least.

I know that some of my students have had problems accessing or uploading their posts and pictures. This is just to let you know that we are all doing great here and having a great time. Yesterday, we saw some really good dance theater at the Schauburg in Munich and we have had great weather, especially during excursions. The one time it did rain, we were on the train and by the time we got off there was a double rainbow that was spectacular. I think it means we will have good luck! : )  I promise to upload pictures when there is a better connection.

May 8^th 2016

Another sunny day in Munich!

Today, we began at the Alte Pinakothek, a museum with traditional paintings. Giant Rubens and Rembrandts of biblical scenes, animal fighting, and wealthy individuals covered the walls.  After painting a few days ago, I have more appreciation for how realistic these artists were able to paint their subjects.

Our next stop was the Pinakothek Der Moderne, a modern art museum with an impressive collection of expressionist paintings. We spent hours perusing Dalis, Andy Warhols, and Max Ernsts’. My personal favorite was Meine Mutter, Meine Mutter, Meine Mutter by Salvador Dali. The colors and the subject were inspiring.

After the museum, we broke off from Janet and Kristin to go back to the hostel. On our way, we grabbed some food and walked through the Botanical Gardens.

After spending a few hours resting, we got ready for the night. Half of us were going to Susn and half of us went to Tosca, the opera. I went to the opera. It was at the National Theatre, which is one of the most beautiful theaters I have ever been in. On the outside, it overlooks a plaza and has huge towering columns. On the inside, it has chandeliers on every floor and exquisite ceilings. The opera was truly amazing. I have no idea how they are able to project their voices so well. The woman playing Tosca was incredible!

After the opera we went home and to bed because we very tired from the days activities.

Ciao,

Liz