Back in the States

A week ago tonight, I stepped off an airplane and back onto American soil for the first time in a few months. I hugged my family, laughed at Gaga's cheesy sign that said, "Willkommen, Graylyn!" and headed off to dinner at the Cincinnati Hofbrauhaus, where I was no longer allowed to order a Dunkles Weissbier. A week later, my body's sleep schedule is back on track, my Google is once again in English, and I've had a little bit of time to ponder my adventures in Austria.

They say that studying abroad changes you. Any travel changes a person, I think. Maybe it's the experience of a new culture, or maybe it's just the time away to think--the removal from life's daily grind and the chance to take a step back and live differently for awhile. I couldn't have asked for a better and more timely opportunity.

One of the things that I loved most about the trip was the sheer spontaneity of it all. Bärbel would so often neglect to tell us about the week's plans or programs until they were actually happening. At first, I was eager to plan out my days and my weeks, to know in order exactly what was going to take place. Yet as time went on, I learned that part of the fun was not knowing. There were times I missed my train or my bus and there were times when I read my map wrong. Looking back, those were the times I enjoyed the most. Many travelers (and people in general) are so concerned with finding their destinations that they forget to enjoy where they are. Lately I've begun to think that perhaps it's not where you end up, but rather the adventure you had getting there.

They say it's hard to make the change from living life in a drastically new place to going back to the old routine. Even though I spent a lot of time studying and writing papers (this was school after all), I spent even more time exploring. I enjoyed every minute I spent in Europe; every day was a chance to find new foods, meet interesting people, or find yet another unique landmark. And yet, even though I'm now back in the States, around places and people I've seen before, I hope to continue making every day just as exciting. Sometimes I think it isn't as much what you do and see while on a vacation or a trip, it's more about your personal mindset and attitude. Each day should be interesting, whether it promises a trip to one of Europe's most beautiful cathedrals, or just another trip to class in Athens, Ohio.

I miss it. I can't lie; even though there was nothing better than hugging my family and seeing my friends again, I've found that I love Austria. I can't say it any other way. And so, I plan to return in the near future. Life has changed for me in so many positive ways, but I do still have 2 years of my education left to complete before I can more seriously continue my travels. In the meantime, I can Skype with Stefan, continue to practice my German, and look forward to the next time I'll step off a plane and be in Salzburg. I would love to practice journalism over there someday; I have been recently disappointed at the lack of European news coverage on American main networks. Maybe someday I can work to remedy that situation. After I graduate, I am also thinking very seriously about taking a position teaching English to children in Austria. Next year at OU, I plan to begin working on an English teaching certificate. No one can say exactly what the future might hold, but for now I can say that I'm very, very, very happy. And I think that's generally all we can ask for.

A Very Busy Week

I'm currently sitting at McDonald's, taking advantage of the Free Wi-Fi and finishing up some of the homework we have for the last week of classes. We have our finals week kind of crammed into Week 10, so there's a lot to do. Once again, it's been a long time since I've blogged. I guess I've been so busy enjoying the last of my time here (and trying to keep up with the homework), that I haven't found much time!

Last night a few of us stayed in and watched the annual Eurovision Song Contest on TV. Although Americans don't know much about the show, it's a pretty big deal over here in Europe. Each country (well, most countries) choose a popular national singer as their candidate to perform. After the performances, the winner is decided, both by viewer text-messaging and by the judges. Germany won by a long shot last night, with Lena's "Satellite." Of course, since Austria didn't have a candidate, we were all rooting for Germany. It was extremely exciting when she won. I think that Ö3 (the radio station over here) plays Lena about every 3 songs, or close to it. My music taste has definitely expanded during this trip to include a lot of European artists that I hadn't heard much about while in the U.S.

Friday night the Fortgeschrittene students accompanied our literature professor, Herr Pertlwieser to a classical music concert performed by the senior orchestra and choir at the Musiches Gymnasium, where he is a teacher. It was definitely top notch, with a lot of talented soloists. It was hard to believe that they were only high school students; they sounded like professionals! My favorite part was the finale, when the orchestra and choir came together to sing Mozart's Krönungsmesse. Of course, this town really knows how to perform Mozart! Afterwards, a bunch of us headed to Felsenkeller (near Mönchsberg in the Altstadt) for some slightly less musically competent kareoke. The place is really cool though; it's built into the mountain, so it has a very cave-like feel.

On Thursday, Stefan and I took a trip back to his hometown, so I could meet his parents and see Ried im Innkreis. We had a wonderful time. His parents and his nephew are all delightful people and his town is absolutely beautiful. We had a great time going to his church and doing a little bit of shopping on Friday morning around the old part of his city. And of course, we ate lots of Schnitzel (his mother is a great cook).

Last Sunday, Stefan and I took a very nice hike through the woods surrounding Hellbrunn, which is a very scenic and beautiful old castle that happens to be extremely close to Ginzkeyplatz. It was once the summer residence of Markus Sittikus, one of Salzburg's archbishops, and he built up the grounds to be unbelievably pretty, complete with fountains, ponds, landscaping, a gigantic park, and the first outdoor stone theater on German-speaking grounds. We had fun climbing up to the top of the rocks on the stage and watching the tourists take pictures. Of course, we also took a great deal of pictures, especially of the view from the top of the hill to the right of the mansion. One can see almost all of Salzburg, including the fields surrounding the city. I think that particular view was my favorite that I have seen in Salzburg thus far. Of course, it might have been my company :) On Wednesday, Bärbel took the whole group back to Hellbrunn to look at/be entertained by the spectacular "Wasserspiele," also on the castle grounds. Markus Sittikus built the solely water-animated and musical wooden people in the early 1600's! He also included a lot of hidden water fountains, meant to spray the guests as they walk by. It was really like a day at the waterpark; it's a good thing the weather was great.

Tuesday night was the "Allerletzte Heimbar," the last one that the Heimbar team will put on, since they're graduating. It was definitely a good time; even though we had a lot to do the next day, a lot of us went downstairs and celebrated the occasion. They have a really great space down there, and of course, the drinks were cheap too! Before Heimbar, Bärbel took the occasion to teach us how to waltz in the TV room of Europa Kolleg. Waltzing is, of course, an Austrian tradition; something you just have to do while in Salzburg. I actually really enjoyed it and would like to do it again in the future. Opernball? Maybe someday.

The weather is being strange again; it's so often hot and sunny in the morning, yet pouring rain by 3-4 in the afternoon. We just had a short downpour, and I think I'm going to run home to Europa Kolleg before it starts raining again. Tonight Stefan and I are going to have a little chat about the economic policy of the EU for my Abschlussprojekt. Of course, since he's majoring in that general topic, he's pretty much an expert. I can't wait to learn more about it.

Schinken Käseröllchen

Spending a relaxing Friday catching up on homework, since next week's a big project/test week. It's hard to believe we're coming to the end, and I need to get some work done so I can enjoy the next three days, which are supposed to be a little warmer and a little less rainy.

Yesterday Jeremy, Melissa, Shireen, Bethany, Bärbel and I took the bus out to Leopoldskron to sit in on a speech at the Salzburg Global Seminar. The Seminar has been in existence since 1947, and it brings college students, faculty, and other intellectuals together each spring and summer to discuss and debate international issues. Those participating in the seminar stay in the Von Trapp house, as well as Leopoldskron (a mansion/castle next door). Yesterday, as special guests, we got a brief tour of the house (whose backyard looks absolutely identical to the movie, yes, the lake and all). We also got to hear a distinguished Smith College professor speak about issues of diversity and immigration in both Europe and the States. It was definitely an afternoon well-spent. Who knows, maybe I'll apply some time to be a part of the seminar.

Wednesday night, Stefan and Lukas cooked a typical Austrian dinner for Laura and I. It was delicious! I can't even spell the name of the food; I think it's something like Schinken Käseröllchen, but it had ham and cheese and the same breading that is on Schnitzel. Mmmmmm. They're wonderful cooks, and we will have to have them over sometime next week so we can cook for them :-)

Well, I must get back to my reading. Of course, we read all of our books in German. So far this quarter, the Fortgeschrittene have read Fräulein Else with Herr Pertlwieser, a classic which I thought was fairly enjoyable. In one of Bärbel's classes, we're reading a book called Crazy, about an Austrian boarding school, and in the other class, we're reading a quaint 1930s love story set in Salzburg called Der Kleine Grenzeverkehr. I think that's my favorite. Not only is it a very nice story, the people in the book talk about and go to all of the Salzburg landmarks we've come to love as well.

I forgot to mention that in Wien we visited Belvedere, a beautiful old castle (?) turned into an art museum. Most notable is probably Der Kuss (The Kiss), which is an extremely famous Gustav Klimt painting. Very impressionist. I bought a small print of it because I liked it so much. Wish you could have been there, Dad. There was a lot of Austrian/German modern art, and even some works by Monet and Egon Schiele.

Well, I must now do my laundry and get ready for tonight's party. We have some birthdays to celebrate in Europa Kolleg!

"Vienna waits for you..."

Finally have the time to blog. I have been neglecting this blog for the past week, mostly because we've all been very busy and I simply haven't had the time. But I will try to do better; a week between entries is terrible. I'm finding that my English writing is getting worse; maybe you can tell. Since I'm speaking and writing so much German, the English words aren't flowing the same way they used to. At any rate, I'll give it a try.

This past weekend was spent in Österreich's capital city, Vienna, or "Wien," as it's called in German. The city is (almost) as pretty as Salzburg. It's definitely much bigger. It has almost an imperial feel and is very slow-paced compared to other cities of its size. Of course, the Habsburgs ruled Austria from Vienna for centuries, and it shows. The monarchy's been gone for almost 100 years, but the city is still very clean and classy. Vienna is known for being not only extremely expensive, but also very intellectual. Spending an entire day at a coffeehouse talking about literature is really part of the culture.

Speaking of the monarchy, we took an excursion on Sunday morning to Schönbrunn, the former palace of the Habsburgs. It is truly breathtaking. Unlike many other castles in Europe, which are separated from the city, often far removed into the countryside, Schönbrunn is practically right in the center of town. It's an amazing piece of land, complete with beautiful gardens and fountains, not to mention the castle itself. The exhibition inside the castle was dedicated mainly to the life of Maria Theresia (the famous 18th century Habsburg empress, and Marie Antoinette's mother) and to Kaiser Franz Josef and his much beloved, yet tragically murdered wife, Sissi. I enjoyed the tour. Wish Gaga could have been there to see it with me.

On Thursday, (backtracking a little), we visited the concentration camp Mauthausen, en route to Vienna. It was really hard to see. I don't have much to say about it that isn't obvious, except that it is unbelievable and terrible to see how many thousands of people were packed into such a compact living space. Awful and so inhumane. I didn't want to go at all; but I do think that it's important that these former concentration camps are open to the public. One comes out with a very different perspective about human rights and about prejudice and about the dangers of a corrupt political system. We've all learned so much about the Holocaust and are of course very shocked by what we've heard, but we stood in the gas chambers, where so many people were executed, and it makes you feel all the sadness even more.

On a lighter note, we saw a lot of interesting sights around the city. Stephan's Dom was probably my favorite. Definitely the most beautiful church I've ever been inside--we wanted to stay for mass but our schedule was too tight. As we were walking around and seeing the sights, a choir was practicing their Gregorian chants. If/when I live over here someday, I would think it would be a great honor to sing in the choir at one of these churches, something I would very much like to do. We saw Parliament and several monuments to various Kaisers and wars. I really enjoyed Karlsplatz, which is a pretty, scenic park in the middle of town. One thing I noticed was the amount of greenery scattered among the buildings. There are a lot of parks in Vienna, and they add to the ambiance. Thursday night, Bärbel took us to 12 Apostles, a very old wine cellar, and we enjoyed drinking strawberry wine while being serenaded by accordion and violin players. It truly was a Wien experience.

On Friday a few of us headed to Hotel Sacher, the famous inn/restaurant where Sachertorte originated. Sachertorte is a very rich, chocolatey cake, with a little bit of a berry kick to it as well. The place was packed with diners, but we managed to spend a little money on Sachertorte und Melange.

Saturday night, Shireen, Henning and I headed to a typical European disko that overlooked the river. It was definitely unlike anything they have in the States. Strobe lights, booming techno music, and a dark room packed to capacity with people jumping and dancing. It was truly amazing and I'm so glad we got the chance to try it out.

Sunday we visited Stifts Melk, a monastery located not too far from Vienna on the way back. It's still in operation; monks live there and it's a school too. Most astonishing was the library that contains hundreds of thousands of volumes, including many that are over 1200 years old. I wish I could have had more time to explore it!

The only thing negative about the weekend was the weather. It poured all weekend and was very cold for May. Austrian weather is so unpredictable and it was a shame that we had to be so uncomfortable while we walked around the city. The weather still isn't great here in Salzburg, but I hope it warms up so I can visit Hellbrunn this weekend.

Well, I have to get ready to head to Bernhard's class for the afternoon. We're taking a tour today that will teach us about Nazi occupation in Salzburg. Tonight, Stefan and Lukas are cooking a typical Austrian dinner for Laura and I, which we are very much looking forward to. I'll try not to wait another week before I blog again!

Springtime and Kaffeehaus Kultur

I am currently sitting at Cappomio, my favorite Austrian-Italian Cafe, enjoying their free wireless internet and one of the best paninis I've ever had. Shireen's eating a delicious-looking prosciutto pizza and we're both drinking iced coffees (well, the closest thing you can get in a country that doesn't seem to have ice cubes.) I wish there were more cafes like this in the States. It has sweet jazz music, postmodern-ish art, and even a TV on the wall that's playing Viva. I love Kaffeehaus Kultur, and plan to spend the better part of an afternoon in a Vienna cafe this weekend, since Vienna is even more famous for coffeehouses than Salzburg.

Yesterday Melissa's friend was visiting from Heidenheim, Germany, and he offered to drive us to our weekly class in Itzling on the north side of town. It was so refreshing to ride in a car again, and avoid the constant stops on the bus. Even though I think public transportation is extremely practical and convenient, I still think I miss driving more. Around here, there isn't really much of a speed limit and the drivers are insane. But it was still a good time. I thought it was interesting: I remarked to my Austrian friend that we're all a fan of the foreign smart cars that almost completely dominate the road over here, and he told me that many of the people he knows admire and wish to own American cars. To me, that's hard to believe. I'd take a BMW over a Ford any day. I guess it all depends on perspective. Everybody wants what they can't have.

Last night we all met up for our weekly Stammtisch at Stieglkeller, an authentic Salzburg beer garden that overlooks the Altstadt. Stiegl, of course, is Salzburg's own premier beer, and is sold everywhere, including in the vending machines at Europa Kolleg. The view at sunset was absolutely gorgeous, and luckily, we took lots of pictures. Although the food is a little pricey, I definitely think I will be going back there before I leave Salzburg. But I'm not going to talk about that terrible thing called leaving just yet.

This really has been a fantastic week so far. The weather (for the most part) has been sunny, and it's clear that spring/summer has finally found our valley town. Last week, when the fog that had settled over the mountains for several days cleared up, we could see that all the trees on the warmer side of the Alps had bloomed. Now, the mountains look more like they did in "The Sound of Music."

Tomorrow we leave at 8 a.m. to travel by bus to Vienna. By now we've learned a lot about the city, and I'm really looking forward to experiencing another Austrian metropolis. Even though I'll miss my Salzburg friends, it's sure to be a good time.

When in Prague...

We returned last night from a very interesting and exciting trip to the Czech Republic, but since I was busy last night doing lots of homework and catching up with Europa Kolleg friends, I haven't had much time to blog until now.

Melissa, Shireen, and I left Thursday afternoon to catch a train to Prague, a city that we've all hoped to visit since before we left for Europe. We actually had to take a few connecting trains: to Linz, then to a border town, then to a Czech town called Ceske Budejovice, before arriving in Prague at around 11 p.m. Of course, the Czech Republic, although it's been a part of the EU for 6 years, hasn't changed over to the Euro yet, so we had to change all of our money into Czech korunas (crowns) before we could even buy a bus pass!

Everything that they say about Prague's beauty is true. Most of the buildings and churches date back to at least the 14th century, and they were built with grandeur and artistic detail in mind. The Old Town Square was my favorite; it holds the Astronomical Clock, as well as Powder Tower and a very old and pretty church. In spite of its beauty, it's obvious to see that Prague has seen better days. As a former part of the Soviet Union, it's still recovering from communism, and their inflation rate is through the roof. Prague is known for its higher crime rate in relation to other European cities. Of course, one must always inherently be more careful when traveling to former East bloc countries; in Prague there were signs everywhere warning tourists to beware of pickpockets. As pretty as the city was during the day (and lit up at night), it makes me really appreciate the security of Salzburg.

On a lighter note, we made sure to take both main guided tours that were offered in English. On Friday, our tour guide led us around the city and gave us a lengthy history lesson on the city. This weekend, Prague was celebrating the 65th anniversary of the end of German occupation in the city. They had TVs set up in the square and official-looking people giving speeches. It really is a remarkable story. Prague citizens themselves kicked out the Nazis and took back their city after 7 years of occupation. Later that day, we walked across the Charles Bridge, a very old and famous landmark usually occupied by street vendors and performers.

One of the best parts of our trip was the chance to meet new people in our hostel. Although we booked beds in a 14 person room, we chose the right place. Hostel Marabou was clean, homey, helpful, and well-decorated. We happened to be sharing a room with Lucia and Emily, respectively from Argentina and Taiwan. They were backpacking (separately) across Europe for the spring and we ended up spending a lot of time touring and hanging out with them this weekend. It's really remarkable to realize that the five of us are from three different continents, yet spent the weekend together in a completely different one! The world is so interconnected today, and I'm so grateful that I have the chance to get to know so many people from other cultures. I hope they'll be able to visit us in Salzburg during the next few weeks.

Friday night, we took one of the advertised pub crawls, a very common activity in almost all of the European cities I've been in so far. I'm so glad we did. Prague is known for its nightlife, but it's worth the 15 euros for the security a pub crawl offers. We started out with "all you can drink" at the starting pub from 9:30-11 (including Absinth, which I'd definitely never had before, since it's illegal in the States for its alcohol content). Then we made the rounds of the techno clubs and pubs of Prague. We even got a T-shirt! Definitely something I'd do again. It was a great night.

Saturday we slept in a bit (we needed it) and took the castle tour in the afternoon. This tour took us past a lot of statues and interesting buildings, including the sites of several defenestrations! I learned that word some years ago in Latin; it literally means to throw something (or someone, in this case) out of a window. Prague has had five major defenestrations throughout the course of its history; including the most famous one that began the Thirty Years War. (I took a picture of the window for you, Dad.) We also saw the church where Charles IV (Prague's most famous emperor) is buried and got the chance to see some of the most beautiful panoramic views I've ever had the privilege of enjoying. Saturday night, we had dinner with Lucia and Emily at a cheap, but very delicious authentic Czech restaurant. I would say that Czech food is a great deal different than the food one finds in Austria and Germany. You might think that the cultures might be more similar due to their geographic proximity, but that's actually not true. One of the hardest parts of the weekend was trying to understand the Czech signs and writing around the city. It is nothing like German or English, not even close. Luckily, because Prague is such a touristy town, many shopkeepers and waiters are decent in English.

Saturday night, Emily, Shireen and I went to a very pretty old theater to see a marionette puppet show version of Don Giovanni, Mozart's famous opera. Although Mozart was born and raised in Salzburg, he really didn't like this city. (a fact that Salzburg doesn't like to admit). He thought the people of Salzburg were snobby and he much preferred his fans in Prague. Naturally, Prague likes to boast that they were the favorite and there are almost as many commemorations to him there as there are here. The puppet show was very good and well done. You could tell that they were professionals.

I very much enjoyed spending the weekend getting to know a different culture. It was almost a miracle that everything worked out with the trains and the money and the hostel. I'm glad there were three of us there; I wouldn't have wanted to do it alone. But in the end, my weekend excursion to Prague has made me appreciate my Salzburg home all the more. Maybe it's the fact that it's a little bit cleaner here, or maybe it's the fact that I speak the language. I think it might be because I'm truly finally zu Hause here.

Schwarzfahren (and more)

Just got back from "The Embassy" (McDonald's) with Shireen, Laura, and Jeremy. The McDonald's food here really is different, yet it's always a treat to get a little taste of home.

While we were riding back from class on the bus today, we had our first experience with the Fahrschein conductors. Everyone riding the bus obviously must have a ticket, that can be purchased at any small gas station or tobacco shop. It doesn't happen often, but every once in awhile, a person in plain clothes will enter the bus at a stop and check everyone's ticket, to make sure that no one is "Schwarzfahren." (literally: "riding black") Of course, we all were within the law and had our Monatskarten in our bags, but we saw the lady remove several people from the bus and take down their information for the 80 euro fine. It's a good incentive to remember your ticket.

The weather hasn't been very good thus far this week, but it's given us the chance to enjoy some indoor activities. Monday afternoon, Shireen, Laura and I spent the afternoon at Cappomio in the Altstadt, a very posh coffee shop that serves everything from green tea to tomato mozzarella sandwiches on Semmel. We had some reading to catch up on, and it was nice to enjoy the very Austrian Kaffeehaus Kultur, known for its stylish and intellectual atmosphere. I finished Fraulein Else by Arthur Schnitzler yesterday for Herr Pertlwieser's literature class. It's amazing how much easier it's become to read a novel in German. I've come a long way since Andrea's 341 class! I suppose it comes with getting a better grip on speaking the language.

We also met our conversation partners on Monday afternoon. Bärbel partnered our class with a college English pronunciation course and assigned us partners. It's up to us whether we meet up with them again, but mine seems really nice and I think we'll probably go for coffee sometime early next week.

We had another Heimbar Monday night and we were all out pretty late, so we've been trying to catch up on our sleep. This is always the toughest part of the quarter for me academically. After midterms are over and projects are coming due, it's important to keep the motivation going. Luckily, in this beautiful city, where we are constantly using what we learn, it's not too hard to stay interested.

In about a half hour, we'll go to Bernhard's class, then spend the rest of the afternoon touring a museum. Of course, I'll be posting again soon.

Maifest and the Red Bulls

Spending a relaxing day here in Europa Kolleg...I woke up ridiculously late, but our bay windows are wide open and it's almost like actually being outside! This weekend has been wonderful. As much as I love traveling, it was nice to spend this gorgeous weekend right at home in Salzburg.

Friday afternoon, Laura, Shireen, Rote "Henning" and I took the regional bus to St. Gilgen am Wolfgangsee, a pretty little lakeside town in the Salzkammergut region. It was literally the most beautiful place I've ever been in my life. It's so interesting to be sitting on a pier along a scenic, warm lake, yet be surrounded by snow-capped mountains. We spent most of the afternoon sitting at an outdoor cafe directly by the lake and then explored the small town a bit. The bus ride back was fun too; it was a nice little tour of the Alpine villages that surround Salzburg.

I am continually impressed at the gracious and honest attitude of most everyone I meet around here. Strangers are most always so happy to point you in the right direction, and pleasantly curious to meet an American who speaks German (even if it's a little broken). I was really dumb and left a clutch with a little money in it on the bus when we got off at Wolfgangsee. To my surprise, the bus driver turned around, stopped the bus, and ran off to give it to me! In America, the money would have been gone. But here, people are truly very honest, helpful, and kind.

Saturday afternoon, Jeremy, Grosse Zach, Shireen, our new friend Sarah, and I headed over to the Altstadt to enjoy the May Day festivities. It's a national holiday in Austria and no one has to work (even though it fell on a Saturday this year). Many people were dressed up in their Lederhosen and Dirndls, celebrating in traditional Austrian dress. There was lots of food and beer, as well as a band playing in Residenzplatz. It's really funny to watch people get really drunk in their traditional clothing (as we saw later, when we were out late at night). All of the girls were super jealous that we don't have dirndls. Some girls' dirndls are really pretty! But they cost about 150 euro, and we obviously just don't have the money. Maybe I should have brought my freshman year Halloween costume...ha.

After enjoying Maifest, Sarah, Shireen and I met Melissa and her friend Margy (who's visiting from Madrid) at the soccer stadium, where we had tickets to see a game! We actually had front row seats to the right of the goal, which was amazing. The Salzburg Red Bulls are pretty good (yes, the drink was named after the team; Red Bull is a big deal over here). I'd never been to a professional soccer game, and of course, if you have to go to a pro soccer game, Europe's the place to go. The fans are crazy! We were over with the families, not in the cheering section, but you could hear the big mob chanting the entire game. Of course, we also had to ride the bus back with all the drunk cheering fans after Salzburg won. It was pretty hilarious.

A bunch of us went back to Die Weisse last night to party with all the Austrians, but ended up coming back early and chilling in the lobby with people from the dorm. It was a great weekend. Now...I need to do my homework.

The Not-So-New Neustadt

Not sure why the blog is posting this as Thursday; it's actually Friday as I write this.

It's really hard to believe we're already nearing the end of Week 5 around here. But then again, I think we're all feeling pretty comfortable here. The weather is finally really beautiful; it's laying out weather and in a few hours, Laura, Shireen, and I are planning to take a bus over to Salzkammergut, a lake that's about 30 minutes away. Not exactly sure what we'll find there, but everyone says it's gorgeous. I'll take lots of pictures.

On Wednesday we had our weekly Stadttour and saw a new part of the city that most of us haven't seen much of before. The Neustadt sits on the opposite side of the river from the Altstadt and holds just as many pretty churches and amazing views from high up. While it's called the "New City," it's definitely at least 400 years old. We took a tour up to another abbey, and ended up in Sebastians Friedhof, a very serene cemetery/garden where several notable people are buried, including Mozart's parents and Wolf Dietrich, the first archbishop of Salzbug. Afterwards, we headed back to Die Weisse, where we went the first week with Travis. Of course, their beer is spectacular, but that night, it was a little bit crowded and I never ended up getting my food, so a few of us headed back before it was dark.

Yesterday I got up early (8:00) for a really nice run along the Ginzkeyplatz bike path. The weather's really warm now and it was nice to get my day started early. I thought I was getting up at the crack of dawn, but it's crazy to see how early a lot of the people in Salzburg are up and moving about. We're always surprised at how early the other students in the dorm are awake, even on weekends. Definitely a change of pace from OU. The path was full of joggers and bike riders. Makes me really wish I had a bike...but it's not like I can fly it home. Hopefully we can rent one for the day before we leave Salzburg.

I guess I should go get ready to leave for the lake. There's a lot going on this weekend, so I'll be sure to write more tomorrow!

Exploring Berlin

Just got home today from my weekend trip to Berlin. Salzburg feels kind of like home now, and it's good to be back, although the trip to Germany's capital was AMAZING.

Where do I even begin? I feel like I saw everything I wanted to see. On Friday we got to our hostel that was right in the center of East Berlin. We explored the city a little bit: we saw the Brandenburger Tor (the very immense pillars that divided the city back in the day), as well as Unter den Linden (the main shopping street) and the river that runs through the city. We visited the Ritter Sport store, which holds Germany/Austria's very best chocolate, and we all bought a few bars of it in different flavors. It's actually much like the M&M store in NYC. Bärbel also took us to Georgbreau Brewery for dinner, where I had the best bratwurst and sauerkraut I've ever eaten. Friday night, Rote Zach and I went exploring; we took the subway to Potsdamer Platz (a very new and cutting-edge nightlife area that was built after reunification) and we found a trendy little bar. I had my first martini, believe it or not, and we enjoyed the late-night Berlin scene.

Saturday we got up early and headed over to the Reichstags building (the government building where parliament and German Chancellor Angela Merkel work). The audio-guided tour took us on a trip up the building's spiral, glass enclosed dome, and pointed out major Berlin landmarks as we looked out over the entire city. Although the weather could have been better, it was a breathtaking view. Saturday morning was also the main time that we explored some of the biggest East German landmarks, like the wall and Checkpoint Charlie. It really was all within walking distance. After a lunch of delicious Currywurst (a Berlin specialty), Laura and I visited the German History Museum. It was absolutely impossible to see everything. The exhibit we chose to see chronicled everything about Germany from before Christ's time up to the present. It talked about Celtic-German roots and relations, Deutschland's involvement in the Crusades, battles fought in the Renaissance, World War I, and the Nazi period. It was so complete, and I was a little disappointed that my dad couldn't have been there with me. He would have loved it!

We've all learned about the former Soviet Union in school and knew the basics. Of course, the wall fell when I was just weeks old, so I never really got to hear about East Germany and the other Soviet countries in the news or anything. But it's amazing to see how much things can change in 20 years. We learned a lot of terrible things about the Soviet regime this weekend: we visited a Stasi prison and saw the torture devices used against its victims, we saw the memorials to the dozens of people who died trying to cross over the wall illegally, and we saw the wall itself, or what's left of it. Learning about and seeing what life was like for the people of the GDR for 40 years serves as a painful reminder of the importance of human rights. It also makes me appreciate our free speech and free press rights even more than I already did. That being said, I find it so inspiring and wonderful that the people themselves eventually overthrew their communist regime. In 1989, they stormed the wall, they protested together, and they basically said they weren't going to take oppression anymore. In the last 20 years, Germany has become stronger than ever. After a very tumultuous (to say the least) century, it has rebuilt itself and it is moving forward from its awful past. I think that says something wonderful about the German work ethic, stamina, and persistence. I'm so proud of them.

Sunday morning was spent touring the Stasi prison. Our tour guide was very good and didn't hold anything back; looking at the disgustingly inhumane cells and hearing about the terrible things the guards did to the prisoners was really hard to hear about. I didn't take a lot of pictures. It didn't feel right, really. Afterwards, some of us went over to West Berlin to see Gedächtnis Kirche, a church that had been bombed out during World War II. That was sad too. It's awful that people have no respect for places of worship, even if it was during wartime. Catholic Churches and especially Jewish synagogues were hit hard during the war.

On a lighter note, I met up with Sonya Sunday afternoon! She and I went to high school together, but she's originally from Berlin and moved back after we graduated. We got sushi and bubble tea near the Zoologischer Garten and hung out for awhile in the square. It's nice to have friends all over the world.

Saturday night, Melissa, Laura, Grosse Zach, Eric, Shireen and I all went to a cute little Italian restaurant on the West side. Afterwards, Shireen and I still wanted to party, so we figured out how to take the subway to this club I had heard was great, and rated one of the top 100 clubs in the world: Berghain. After going the wrong way a few times and exploring the ghetto areas of East Berlin a little bit, we arrived at this run-down old train station. But: they didn't let us in because we were American! Even though I spoke German to the bouncer, they turned down all the American people that tried to get in. Truly, it's easy to tell who's American and who's European around here, even if they we speak German. We have telltale accents and we do dress a little differently. It was definitely a lesson in feeling ethnically unwelcome. Oh, well. We found another place. But in all, I think the best part of Saturday night was exploring the city. At one point, we had no idea where we were or which way we should go. A city train pulled up to the station and we just jumped in, without having any idea where it was going.

I think above all else, that's my travel philosophy. They always say, "Wherever you go, there you are." Until this trip, I'd never realized how true that statement is. So many people get bogged down with maps and travel guides and ideas about how things should go when they're somewhere far away from home. But in reality: everything's an adventure. If you don't end up where you thought you were going to...well, you'll be somewhere else. And chances are, it will be just as interesting and just as fulfilling. Hopping on a random train headed for anywhere at 2 in the morning in downtown East Berlin? Sounds good. We saw a lot of interesting people and a beautiful city at night. What else could we ask for?

Mönchsberg and Augustiner Biergarten

It's hard to believe it's already so late. Tomorrow morning (or this morning, I guess), we fly to Berlin, and I really should be sleeping, but as usual, I'm a night owl.

Yesterday was one of my favorite days since I've been here, I think. Bärbel took us on a wonderful Stadttour through Mönchsberg, a kind of series of caves built into the side of the mountain. We took an elevator up through the mountain, and were soon very high up, with a great view of Salzburg. It was very green up there; we hiked along the side of the mountain, through woods and took a lot of great pictures. (If IPhoto and Facebook weren't having problems tonight, I'd have them online already.) Of course, there are a lot of people that live up there in very pretty mountaintop houses. There are also a lot of ruins from, I suppose, earlier days. We didn't get to see the actual catacombs and caves where the monks lived. I'm actually not sure if you can. But it was a nice hike.

Afterwards we all headed to Augustiner Biergarten at the bottom of the mountain, where we stayed for about three and a half hours! A few of us sat around, drinking lots of sweet beer and talking about culture and travel and...well just about everything. We're a great group. Augustiner also had amazing pretzels, and my favorite, Weisswurst.

I love my city, but it's going to be nice to have a break and travel to Berlin this weekend. We'll have lots of free time and hopefully I'll get to meet up with my friend Sonya from high school, who moved back to Berlin after we graduated. Unfortunately, Laura and I have both come down with colds, so I need to get to sleep and rest, so I can enjoy our weekend trip!

Multiculturalism (in the Kitchen and Elsewhere)

Just got back from Eddie, Wes, and Chris's room downstairs, where most of us met to cook Chinese food for dinner tonight! We are really having a multicultural food experience here in Austria...but Eddie makes the best fried chicken and Laura and I cooked two huge pots of rice.

Speaking of ethnic food, Shireen and I went to Indigo, a posh fast-foodish Indian restaurant in Josefiau, for lunch yesterday. It's kind of the Austrian version of Indian food..and has sushi too for very cheap prices.

Last night International Kolleg (another dorm) hosted Heimbar, a biweekly party in the basement. It wasn't a far walk, so some of us went over to hang out with other Austrian and international students. It's really a very good idea; the drinks were cheap and the music was great. We'll definitely be going back there, even though Monday night's an odd time to have a party.

Now that everyone's back from spring break, I'm meeting more Austrian students. It's always interesting to talk to our new friends that live in the dorm (and some that we meet out and about at bars and restaurants) and hear about their experiences growing up in Europe. It's even more intriguing to hear their views on the USA and American life. Many of them have studied abroad or been on vacation in the States or in Canada and have unique observations to share (like the fact that we have a bad cheese selection). So much of this trip includes learning about individual perspectives, and how culture difference doesn't change them quite as much as you'd think.

One of the most eye-opening aspects of living in a new country is learning about its political norms and traditions. We're lucky enough to be staying here during the presidential elections, which only happen once every six years. In an effort to learn more about what everybody's talking about (the election's on Sunday), we've been talking about politics a lot in class. The two main candidates, Heinz Fischer and Barbara Rosenkranz have brightly colored billboards with slogans on every corner around Salzburg. I think it's pretty clear who will win, though. Fischer, the current Austrian president, is very popular and Rosenkranz is radically conservative, something that has a very bad connotation in this part of the world. It's still very interesting to learn about the political opinions of Salzburg. I care a lot about this town.

Finally Frühling

It's been a few days since my last post; that's probably because the weather's been so nice and I haven't been spending too much time at the computer! It's another sunny day in Salzburg, and after I post this I think I'll head to a coffee shop in town to finish up the weekend's homework. On the weekends, the city is full of people riding bikes, strolling through Mirabell, and eating lots of Eis (ice cream) outside. I don't blame them; springtime in this town brings great weather.

Thursday after class, the girls all took a bus over to the north side of town to check out the city's library. It's really nice and new: three stories filled with lots of literature and music, not to mention interesting architecture. I ended up getting a library card and checking out a few CDs and a history book about Berlin, so I can read up before next weekend. Hopefully we will still be able to fly to Berlin on Friday. Because of the volcanic eruption in Iceland, flights all across Europe have been cancelled. The cloud of ash is headed towards Germany and Austria sometime during the next day or two, so who knows?

On Friday, a few people took a day trip to go skiing (I'm not much of a skiier, so I stayed here.) Jeremy and I spent the day exploring the Altstadt and taking pictures from the hills. I feel like I could live in the city for years and still not see everything. Maybe it comes from being in a place with so many mountains and hilly areas. There are a lot of hidden trails and parks that can't always be seen from the main roads and I think this trip is turning me into a hiker.

Of course, we've been spending a lot of time at the lokals these last few nights. Thursday night a ton of us ended up at Shakespeare, a cute cafe that's pretty low key, but serves great beer. Rote Zach, Ben, and I ended up staying pretty late and chatting with some of the regulars. Friday night we went back to another Irish pub: Shamrock, which features an Austrian band covering lots of Tom Petty, Bon Jovi, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was kind of amusing. One thing that I guess I take for granted in the States are the anti-smoking laws inside buildings. The smell of smoke doesn't exactly bother me, but after going to the bars, it's hard to get the smell off of whatever clothes you wore. Just different. On Monday, Europa Kolleg is throwing a party: Heimbar, which is a monthly (or so) dorm-wide bar in the basement. It should be a good chance to get to know our neighbors a little better; hopefully they don't think we're just loud Americans!

I think we've all come to discover that in general, people here are really very nice. Sure, we might have to pay extra for ketchup and move a little faster in the grocery store line. But most people we meet are just curious and eager to talk to Americans and to hear about life across the Atlantic. Most of the time, I end up speaking German to them, and they speak English to me. Not great for my comprehension skills, I guess, but they want to practice their language skills too.

Well, I don't want to miss out on enjoying the weather, so I think I'm going to head into town to do some homework. More tomorrow, I'm sure.

Once Upon a Time...

Well, I think I jinxed the weather. Today was a rainy and overcast day in Salzburg. It poured on and off all day long. Good thing I packed my rain boots and a durable umbrella.

In spite of the gloomy weather, we went on our weekly Stadttour today to the Altstadt with Bernhard, after a really interesting lesson in Austrian Medieval history. I've lately found myself recalling last fall's History of the Crusades course with Dr. Shadis and I'm very glad I took it. Not only was I interested in the subject matter, it put European history in perspective for me, which has proved useful as we journey to the sights around town.

Today we visited Residenz, the original home of Salzburg's archbishops. However, I hear that this building was anything but a religious cloister. It seemed to be something more of a palace for the frequently partying bishops. Hey, there's nothing wrong with having a good time. Today, both the old and the new versions of Residenz, (which are right in the center of town) are still in use, one as an art gallery, and the other as a current house of government. They are located in and near Mozartsplatz, which also holds mosaic pieces of a sign from the time when Salzburg was part of the Roman empire. Afterwards, we headed to the Dom, where we explored some eerie catacombs underneath the cathedral. Although I'd been to mass there already, there was so much in the church I hadn't seen up close. We also saw Franziskanerkirche (my favorite to visit and attend) and Universitätskirche (which is under construction) before heading to Stirnbräu, a 700-year old brewery, for drinks.

Living day to day and visiting the sights in a city this old is almost unbelievable. In America, we like to talk about our historical sights and boast that a building or a statue is 200, maybe 300 years old. It's hard to fathom the age of some of the structures that I frequent on a regular basis. Some are as many as 1300-1400 years old. These buildings and churches were built without modern architectural technology, without the tools we have today. However, they are very sturdy and most of their artwork has remained intact, thanks to the painstaking care of a great deal of people in the past who thought that preserving history was important. No matter one's religion, a person has to respect that such things have been carefully tended for so long. I am in awe of the scenery and ambiance that the people in Salzburg still work so hard to keep beautiful. As much as I love modern Western culture, it's nice to be able to find a place that still takes you back to fairytales.

Salzburger Hunde

In spite of the pessimistic forecasts, the weather seems to be holding up nicely here in Salzburg..at least during the day. It might be raining at night, but that's fine with me.

It's late and I probably should be asleep, but we had a really fun evening. Bärbel suggested we hold a potluck right here in Europa Kolleg, rather than go out to a restaurant this week. So we did. Laura and Zach made spaghetti, Melissa brought Austrian Käsespätzle (macaroni and cheese, which I actually liked!), and I brought some German potato salad I picked up at the store. Stammtisch is always a good time and it was nice not to have to spend too much money on dinner.

Yesterday I went to Getreidegasse (the main shopping street near Mozart's birthplace) to pick up a few books for class. After 45 minutes of wandering around (and asking for directions), I finally found a bookstore. To reward myself for finally finding the place, I bought a copy of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in German. One thing that I still gawk at around here is the number of dogs running around in public places! It's not unusual at all to walk into a restaurant, clothing store, or onto the bus, and see a big slobbery German shepherd or beagle lounging around on the floor! From what I've seen, there is no public establishment where pets aren't allowed. That being said, dogs here behave a lot better than dogs in America. They don't become a nuisance with their barking and they seem very well-trained. Many owners let their dogs walk beside them down the street without a leash. Nutmeg would go crazy, I'm ashamed to say. Must be something in the water here.

And what I'd heard was true definitely stands: nobody wears sandals. I swallowed my pride and put on flip flops during a warm day last week...and I was the only one. I think people on the bus were staring. So far: I've seen no shorts and no sandals. We'll see what happens when the weather gets a little warmer.

I just uploaded pictures on my Facebook from the last week...but I need to sleep now. We have a big day of touring ahead of us tomorrow. I was a klutz and hit my toe really hard against the wall this morning and I think I dislocated it, which doesn't make walking miles around this city any easier. Plus, there's basically no such thing as ice in this town. They don't serve ice in drinks and you can't buy it at the store...I may have to improvise.

Weekend Life in Salzburg

Well, it's been quite a weekend. Mostly relaxing, but we had a lot of fun too, right here in Salzburg.

We've been here two weeks now, and it's an odd feeling. At first, the whole trip felt like one big vacation: we tried to cram as much sightseeing as possible into the span of a few days. But now that we've settled in and are more used to living and commuting in the city, the vacation feeling has worn off a little bit. You can't live your life moving around and sightseeing every second; one must sleep and do laundry and spend an hour or two watching TV. So now, we are learning how to walk the delicate line between being "tourists" and regular people, while still trying to take in as much as we can. It's difficult sometimes.

Yesterday Jeremy, Laura, Melissa, Shireen, and I woke up and went to the Chinese restaurant down the street for lunch. It's interesting to try different food ethnicities from a German/Austrian perspective. They all loved it; I personally wasn't a big fan. Instead of giving us fortune cookies at the end of the meal, like in America, they gave us little cups of fruit. It was interesting.

Last night we got dressed up and went out to Flip, a bar in the Altstadt that serves delicious drinks. Laura and I spent the evening talking to Stefan and Christian, two Austrian guys who are grad students here in Salzburg. They wanted to practice their English and I wanted to practice my German, so we spoke in two different languages all night. It was fun to hear about life over here from the perspective of native Austrians. Stefan told me that he was amazed that I spoke so "properly", without any slang in my vocabulary. I wish I knew more! I probably sound stuffy.

Tonight I went to Franziskirche by myself for mass. It was nice; it gave me a little time to think, and as always, it was a great way to fine-tune my listening skills. I think I understood a little more today than last week. On the way back from church, I was on the bus with a lot of returning students coming from the train station. Spring break is over for the rest of the university now, and suddenly we have neighbors in Europa Kolleg. Living in the dorms here in Austria is a slightly different experience than it is in America. I get the feeling that the students are older, many of them in their late '20s, rather than 18-23 like they are back home. They seem to keep to themselves a little bit more, and take their studies more seriously. The students here finish high school a year later than we do, and many of them choose to take a year or two off and travel around Europe. If they work decently hard in high school, the government pays for their college education, so they're not really in any rush to finish it quickly like we are in the U.S., where our loans are coming due. We met several European students our age in the Munich hostel who were spending the spring and summer backpacking and traveling. Must be nice.

Tomorrow we get our stipend of 200 euros, something everyone's looking forward to. We need to go grocery shopping. I'm actually cooking! Laura and I made really yummy spaghetti sauce tonight.

Pretty Weather, the Festung, and Käsekrainer

It's been a few days since my last post...life's been pretty busy here in Europa Kolleg. The weather's also been gorgeous...we haven't really been spending too much time inside. I'm only inside now cause I'm waiting for my laundry to finish in the basement.

On Wednesday we journeyed to the Festung Hohensalzburg for our weekly Stadttour. The Festung is the fortress that's visible in almost any picture you'll see of Salzburg. It's scenic and very old; it dates back to 1077 ( 19 years before the First Crusade, to put it in perspective). The fortress wasn't just a castle; it served as a kind of protection for the whole town in times of war. Luckily, Salzburg didn't need the fortress much. The surrounding Alps gave Salzburg, which is in a valley, a very effective defense against invading troops. That is, until World War II, when fighter planes bombed the cathedral :( At any rate, the view from the Festung is breathtaking, and I'll put pictures up soon. Unfortunately about 7 of us missed the audio guided tour, so we'll definitely have to come back a few more times while we're here. That shouldn't be a problem!

Wednesday night Laura and I hosted Taco Wednesday for part of the group, including Bärbel. We all chipped in and brought ingredients, and it was a good time. It's so much easier to entertain when you have a kitchen!

Yesterday we took advantage of the nice weather after class and laid out by the Salzach River in the Neustadt. The river sort of divides the city in two, and during nice weather, there are lots of people walking dogs, reading, and getting some sun on the grassy shores. We also took a stroll through Mirabell Garten, a really pretty park-like area with lots of flowers and trimmed hedges. (It was featured in The Sound of Music.) I'm sure we'll see it in more detail on a Stadttour, but it was fun to walk down the paths and laugh at the awkward Spanish tourists wearing matching clothes. After a long time baking in the sun, we came back to Europa Kolleg and had a little Käsekrainer party. Käsekrainers are pretty much everybody's favorite around here: they're Austrian sausages filled with delicious cheese. Plus, they're not hard to make on the stove.

And, last night we ended up at an Irish pub. Well, kind of. The bartenders all speak German and they serve German beer. But O'Malley's is dressed up to be Irish-themed. It's a favorite with the Americans, Canadians, and anybody visiting from the UK. We girls even sang a few kareoke tunes. Tonight we're going out again to Cafe Republik, according to Shireen, it's the hot dance club in the Altstadt.

I like living on the south end of Salzburg because it's somewhat urban, but you can still tell it's a good part of town. I was trying to find the Europa Kolleg office this morning to retrieve my laundry key, and I passed a spacious park with lots of parents and kids playing. I love listening to little kids who speak German better than I do. It's cute and it kind of puts things in perspective.

More tomorrow. I'm sure I'll have lots to write about!

Lessons in Immersion

The weather seems to be clearing up again here--definitely a relief for me, who definitely could have brought more sensible shoes. Today was sunny and in the '60s, and it was comfortable weather for walking. It was a very nice day...we had our first test in Bärbel's vocab and culture class. It went well, and most of us treated ourselves to our favorite Haci's Kababs down the street after class. Around here, we eat almost as much Turkish food as Austrian food!

Tuesday afternoon also means that the advanced students have Austrian Literature class with Herr Pertlwieser across town. It was amazing to see how much I've learned in a week. This class--which seemed almost impossibly intimidating last week, now I think will be much more doable.

I think it has to do with the learning curve around here. That's the funny thing about learning a language. Living here, in the heart of Salzburg, and being immersed in the speech at all times really has taught me more about the German language than I could ever have learned from a textbook. I realized today that Herr Pertlwieser's speech patterns and dialect sounded more familiar to me, even though it's only the second time I've ever met the man. My ears are getting used to not just the German vocabulary and grammatical structures (although that too), but to the inflections that these Austrians use when they speak, which words they abbreviate or say very quickly, and colloquial (or slang-ish) terms I didn't know before. In addition to hearing them better, I really feel that I'm learning new words everyday: from signs, from others in my group, from the strangers on the bus from whom I ask directions, and even from listening to moms and kids talk in the grocery store. Learning a language is so much more about living it. When we began to talk and pick up English as toddlers, we didn't have flashcards and we didn't have tests. We were surrounded by our relatives, parents, and neighbors and our ears picked up the accents, the slang, and the grammatical structure. I, of course, am still far from completely fluent. But today I realized I am well on my way.

A Weekend in Munich

Today I'm relaxing after my weekend trip to Munich and enjoying my day off from class. Easter Monday is a national holiday in Austria, so Bärbel decided to give us a break too, and let us catch up on our sleep after a long week.

We took the train to Munich at about 10 am Friday morning, and arrived at our youth hostel in the early afternoon. I'd never stayed in any kind of a youth hostel before, and after this weekend, I definitely want to stay in them again. It's really fascinating; there are literally college-aged students from all over the world staying there. I met people from Argentina, Ireland, and Australia, as well as from other parts of Germany. In the lobby of our hostel, which was appropriately called "Jaeger Hostel," was a bar, where they had cheap prices on all kinds of beer. We spent both nights hanging around the hostel and meeting people, and it was a really good time.

Friday afternoon was spent getting to know the city. We spent a few hours in "Pinakothek Moderne," a very famous museum of modern art, and we also saw Munich's university, where there is a memorial to Hans and Sophie Scholl, who were martyred for their resistance movement against the Nazis in 1943. We took a stroll through the Englischer Garten, (which is as big as Central Park!) and ended up having dinner at Pauliner München, a quaint restaurant right in the city that serves authentic Bavarian cuisine. Of course, we snagged a table at the Hofbrauhaus later that evening, and spent a good deal of time there. Hofbrauhaus is reported to be the most widely attended and popular brewery/bar in the world!

Saturday morning came early, and we spent the morning touring a few churches, including Sankt Peter's Kirche, where we climbed 14 stories to see the breathtaking view of downtown München. The climb was intense; almost completely one-way spiral staircases, and definitely not for the claustrophobic. The church was built almost 1000 years ago, before the start of the First Crusade, and I think we were all a little afraid it was going to collapse while we were up there. Luckily it didn't. Also in downtown München was the Glockenspiel: an entertaining little "cuckoo clock" type performance with harmonic chimes and life-size wax figurines that acts out a little play several times each day, lasting about ten minutes. It kind of reminded me of "It's a Small World" at Disneyland, only better. The Glockenspiel is located outside the courthouse building in Marienplatz, which is one of the most beautiful buildings I've ever seen in my life. (Pictures are on Facebook.) A lot of the buildings in Munich are Baroque, built sometime during the 1600's, and the architecture is definitely elaborate.

After our church tours, we had the rest of the day free. We ended up checking out an antique toy museum, as well as going to the Augustiner Biergarten that evening. A bunch of us bought bratwurst and potato pancakes at an open market in the heart of the city and they were AMAZING! We just don't have meat in the States like they do over here. Even the pre-packaged salami I buy at the grocery store is very delicious.

Sunday we were all very tired, as it was a fun, but late night in the hostel lobby. We left all of our luggage in lockers at the Hauptbahnhof (train station) and boarded a bus to the outskirts of the city, to tour the Schloss Nymphenburg (Nymphenburg Castle). It was very scenic; the site of Bavarian kings during the 16 and 1700's. The grounds were of course nicely decorated and we saw some very pretty furniture that belonged to Ludwigs I and II and their wives. I somewhat regret asking for my Audio Guide to be in German. Although I could understand a great deal, some of the words were definitely out of my vocab range, and I would have much more to say about the castle had I listened to it in English. When I go to sites like these, I am extremely interested in every little detail. I am a big enthusiast of both medieval and baroque royal history. Ah, well. It was a very nice trip.

I really enjoyed München. I like it because of its size and its cultural flair. It truly is the prototype of a Bavarian town. When one thinks of visiting Germany, they think of sweeping baroque architecture, quaint Black Forest traditions like schweinsaxe, knödeln, and kraut, and sloshing beer around at the Hofbrauhaus. It brought me back to thinking about what my ancestors' lives were like, living in Bavaria during the 1700's. Yet, now that I'm back in Salzburg, a place that I'm beginning to think of as home, I'm glad that I'm living here. Salzburg is a much quieter Alpine city, free from the hustle and bustling distraction that comes with any larger metropolis like Munich. I love this pretty little town and was relieved to pull into its train station yesterday evening. After coming "home," Zach B, Laura, Bethany, Patrick, and I attended Easter mass at a Franciscan cathedral in the Altstadt.

I have to go scrounge up something to eat in the kitchen. Since the grocery stores are all closed today, we're running low on food. The bread here doesn't stay fresh for more than three days because it doesn't contain any preservatives. More tomorrow!

Der Bus kommt...

I returned a little while ago from a wonderful night spent in the Altstadt at Die Weisse bar. About nine of us left this evening to have a few beers and enjoy some österreichische culture. I have found that I am a big fan of dark beer here in Austria. Not only is it a little bit stronger, it's sweeter.

We knew when we left the dorm that the bus was scheduled to leave from our stop in five minutes. They all started running, and I was, predictably, the slowest one in the group. I arrived at the bus stop just as the bus closed its doors in my face--and I couldn't figure out how to press the bus's outside button so that I could board! Therefore, I was stuck navigating the bus routes of the north side of the city on my own. I eventually ended up hailing a taxi at Mirabellplatz. Luckily, that got me to the right place. The taxis here seem really nice to Americans; every taxi is an Audi or a Mercedes and they are all very clean. I guess that's just because those are German-made cars.

Today after class, a few of us headed to one of the city's main streets, Getreidegasse, for a little bit of afternoon window shopping. I was surprised to find, in today's global economy, that Europe really has very few American clothing stores. One can find H&M (it's Europe-based) and ESPRIT, but there is no Macy's, no American Eagle, and definitely no Forever 21. Apparently this is true throughout Europe. Ah well. I got some cute shoes and trendy sunglasses at H&M today. I'll need these for the weekend.

This weekend, we're going on a group trip to Munich, which is about an hour and a half north of here, just beyond the Black Forest. We're leaving for the train around 9 tomorrow morning and will be there until Sunday afternoon. I will not be able to blog this weekend, or Skype/Facebook anyone, but I'm sure when I come back, I will, as always, have a lot to say.

Catacombs, Cemeteries, and Cathedrals

Today the weather was the prettiest it's been since we arrived, and we took advantage of it by taking our first city tour. Each Wednesday, as part of our Austrian culture and history course with Bernhard Lochmann, we will discover a new Salzburg sight. Today we saw some of the historic churches and cemeteries.

Cemeteries work a little differently here in Austria, where they have been burying people for hundreds of years. In short, they're running out of room. In America, one often buys a plot in a graveyard before he dies. In Austria, cemetery plots are rented. After ten years, a bill is sent to your relatives. If they pay the rent, you can stay in the ground. Otherwise, the cemetery will dig you up and dispose of your remains to make room for the newly dead. Therefore, once one's relatives have all died, it is probable that the person will be removed. This seems pretty morbid to we Americans, but they have a lot less land space than we do. Of course, there are major exceptions to the rule: famous people and clergy buried in cathedrals and scenic gardens are often allowed to stay.

We explored Nonnberg Abbey this afternoon; a long trek up a very steep, almost vertical cobblestone path that left most of us out of breath. From there, the view is amazing. Not only are both sides of the mountain visible, but so are the steeples and colorful rooftops of Old Salzburg. Check out my Facebook for pictures...I promise they weren't taken on a movie set! Inside the Nonnberg Abbey one will recognize many locations from The Sound of Music, as well as see the cloister of nuns that still live there today! Underneath the church (in which I think Maria and Captain Von Trapp got married) are creepy old catacombs. Nonnberg Abbey is important because it was founded in 732 by Heilige (Holy) Rupert, the first archbishop of Salzburg, who promised to make it a Catholic city when he received the Alpine town from the Romans.

We followed a mountaintop path around to St. Peter's cemetery, where many clergy and distinguished Salzburg citizens have been laid to rest over the years. It's really more like a garden, with elaborate artwork and well-tended flowers on all the graves. Then we moved into the church, by far the eeriest part of today's tour. The walls are all lined with elaborate gates (like the ones in The Sound of Music scene where they're hiding out in the abbey), and behind the gates are many graves in the walls, and lots of statues of Mary. One can light candles for dead relatives, for a small fee. Of course the artwork and frescas on the ceiling were detailed and flawless. The whole experience was made creepier by the fact that, as our group was entering the church, a funeral was just ending. It was really sad, because it was for a little girl. But, I guess if people choose to have their funerals/weddings in such a tourist attraction, they agree to be OK with the fact that tourists are going to be walking around snapping pictures of the artwork.

We finished off our trip with very good beers (Weissenbier) in a little cafe in the Altstadt. It was the perfect end to a very educational and fun day.

"Ich liebe es..."

Oh--it's already the fourth day. I can't believe we've been here this long already! Today and yesterday have been occupied with getting used to classes and the school schedule--obviously I'm still not doing so well with that since I'm up at 2 a.m. right now and class starts at 9.

Tonight we had our opening Stammtisch party at "Resch und Lieblich," a quaint wine cellar in the Altstadt that serves homemade Austrian specialties like Knodeln, Schnitzel, and German potato salad that is to die for. It was very delicious. One of the guys in our group ordered Knodeln and pig lung, which I guess is also a specialty here. (Yuck, but I actually tried a bite and it tasted OK...if it wasn't lung.)

The people here love McDonald's. They think it is the coolest thing in town, and we stopped there for lunch in between classes. It is pretty sweet. They have a bakery inside and of course, like everywhere else, one can order Stiegl beer. The hamburgers do taste a bit different. Instead of ketchup, they have on them a mayonnaise-ish sauce that tastes great, and you can tell the meat's fresher too. Austrians are also very fond of carbonation in their drinks. Everything comes with "Kohlensäure," especially the water.

I'm getting very accustomed to public transportation; Salzburg has a fantastic bus system. Even better than the relief from walking 20 minutes is the variety of characters you see while riding the bus. Everyone from packs of junior high boys to businessmen to nuns ride around town on the bus lines and it's a perfect opportunity to people watch, as well as try to eavesdrop and improve your German listening skills.

Tomorrow we have class all day, then will be touring some famous Salzburg sights. Keep an eye on my Facebook for new pictures in the next day or two.

Mass at the Salzburger Dom

It's the end of the second day, and I can't sleep! I think all of our body clocks are still catching up to the new time zone. It's only 7:30 p.m. at home, but it's 1:30 a.m. here.

This morning, Zach B and I walked to mass at the Salzburger Dom. Although excited to see the famous church, we had hoped for a slightly closer one. However, the 45 minute walk there was full of new sights. We took Alpenstrasse into the Altstadt and enjoyed many colorful houses on the way. We've come to discover that we live in a very residential area of town called "Sud-Salzburg", which is really neither in the Altstadt or the Neustadt. (Old-Town and New-Town). Our part of town is a bit far from most of the sights, but is full of locals, rather than tourists, which makes for a unique experience.

We arrived at the Dom-Platz around 9:30, just as the Archbishop was starting the procession out of the church, since it was Palm Sunday. One of the biggest differences that I noticed was that the locals bring their own palms--decorated flower arrangements with colorful ribbons perched atop a tall stick, somewhat like a maypole--rather than the flat palms we are given in America. Zach and I grabbed a few leafy branches out of the bin--meant for the losers that didn't make it to the floral shop that morning, I guess. After the Archbishop said a few prayers, he led everyone on a walk in a circle around the Dom-Platz, before leading us all inside.

The church was packed full, and of course extremely beautiful. The Salzburger Dom was built in 1628 over the site of an older church that dated to the 900s. You can still see remnants of this older church--in objects like the baptismal font. Mozart was the organist at the cathedral for two years during his early career and the church boasts tall organs on the second level. The pews were very old and the kneelers were unfortunately very hard and uncomfortable.

For the most part, mass felt very familiar. I understood some of what they were saying, simply because I knew exactly what it was in English. The Petitions and much of the consecration was easy to comprehend. However, the gospel was completely sung by their fantastic choir that, as much as I hate to say it, puts ours to shame. I wonder what the audition process is like for the Salzburger Dom choir, and whether the singers are paid. The Palm Sunday gospel took about a half hour and when it was over, we felt as if we'd heard a free concert. The other big difference about mass in Salzburg was the whole communion process. They didn't have ushers dismiss us; we didn't even dismiss row by row. The priests just came down with communion and it was kind of a free for all. Everybody walked up and crowded around, waiting their turn. It came as kind of a surprise, as the rest of the mass was so orderly and formal.

After mass, we broke up the long walk back with kababs at one of the only restaurants that was open on Sundays. The kabab was kind of like a sandwich-gyro on a large roll, with all of the usual toppings. I was surprised to find that the store owner thought we were British students. We have definitely decided to go back there, and bring others next time, because the food was cheap and really good.

After church, I lay down for what was supposed to be a short nap and ended up lasting the whole afternoon--I was really tired. We spent this evening hanging out in the dorm lobby again. Tomorrow morning we start class--hope it's not too difficult!

We're here..finally!

After a loooong trip, we're all finally here. Actually, it's midnight our time and we've been here since about noon, so I've had about 12 hours to get acclimated to this unfamiliar and beautiful place.

The plane ride was intense. I've never been out of the country before, so I've definitely never had to sit still on a plane that long. It's tougher than you'd think to sleep. And I think we were flying against a lot of turbulence, because on the electronic tracker map they gave us on our TV, I watched us slowly lose time, and at one point, we didn't make any forward progress for about 45 minutes! But it was all worth it at sunrise, when we descended over Munich and saw the gorgeous German countryside.

It's been an interesting day. The city is so ornate; it looks like something right out of a fairytale...and we haven't even seen the Altstadt yet! When Shireen and I landed, we took a bus from Munich to Salzburg: about an hour and a half trip through the cutest little Bavarian German towns ever. We met a lady on the bus who didn't speak any English and I was actually able to communicate with her, which was encouraging. When I told her I was an American student, she asked me whether I was from California or New York. She'd never heard of Ohio before!

Once we got settled in, it was time to go grocery shopping. My roommate Laura and I went down the street to Hofer (the German version of Aldi) and it was definitely an experience. The food is really cool and there's really no brands that you would expect. Plus, there's tons of cheap wine that costs like a euro, 20 cents. The cashier kind of screamed at me when my Mastercard didn't go through and we realized once we checked out that we didn't have enough bags with which to carry back our groceries. We stuffed most of them into Laura's purse, but unfortunately, sidewalk/dorm lobby casualties included Laura's jug of Mineralwasser and bottle of red wine! (We cleaned it up.) Lesson learned: always carry enough bags to the market! They are not free. Neither are the shopping carts. You have to pay a euro to use them.

We went to a little pizza place for dinner, where the help was very nice, but then we headed back early, since everyone is tired from jet lag. Tomorrow we must go buy a plug adapter, since the ones we brought aren't compatible, and a hair dryer, since we just blew the fuse in our bathroom trying to turn it on!

This is without a doubt, the biggest thing I've ever undertaken, I think. Nothing's completely foreign, but every little thing is just a little different, from the beer in the dorm vending machines to the welcome mats that almost every room has outside the door. I like it though; it's very quaint. Tomorrow at least Zach and I are headed to the Salzburger Dom for church. Will write more then.

Beloved and Loss

African-American Lit: Didn't love the class, but am still glad I took it because it introduced me to some excellent poetry and novels. Charles Chesnutt, Toni Morrison, and Nikki Giovanni are some of the best writers of our country's history and I feel pleased to have gotten to know them a little better this quarter. Here's an essay I wrote on Beloved. Not as good as The Bluest Eye, but still a worthwhile read.

Since the dawn of the first slave trade, African-Americans have experienced loss. Coming to the New World from a faraway land and brought against their will, they were forced to set aside their own language and culture and dedicate their lives to serving white men. Because of this, a large part of their culture and civilization, not to mention their individual dignity and self-respect, has been greatly compromised. In Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved, the main characters confront their ancestors’ legacy of loss through their own experiences with losing what is dear to them. Throughout the novel, loss of name, loss of family bonds and loss of identity define the main characters; however, they learn to overcome loss and accept it as a part of their lives.

It is apparent from the beginning of the novel that the main characters in Beloved have unusual names. As the story unfolds, the reader is told more about the origin of each character’s name and why it is important to his or her history. For instance, Baby Suggs, who is called Jenny by Mr. and Mrs. Garner, does not realize that Jenny is her real name, but rather, identifies herself by what her former husband always called her: Baby. Also, over half of the slave men at Sweet Home are named Paul, reinforcing the general lack of individuality that comes with a slave life. When Sethe’s oldest daughter is born, she goes until her death, which is at least at nine months of age, without a proper name. The small child is not given a name until Sethe must have one engraved on the headstone, and chooses, “Beloved.” A name is something personal and special, something that often defines a person in society. By keeping the real names of their slaves ambiguous, slave owners are able to downplay the slaves’ humanity and individuality. The one character who is very deliberately named is Denver, but she, too, gets her name from a white person: the young white girl who helped Sethe deliver her baby in a canoe. The loss of name individuality in this novel serves as an underlying reminder that the lives of the main characters have not been their own, but have been controlled since birth by white members of society who see them as inferior and unable to make important life decisions for themselves.

Apparent from the beginning in this book is the fact that slavery and its immediate aftermath have split up the families of the main characters. Baby Suggs lost track of seven of her eight children when they were sold off of her plantation. Sethe’s two young boys have run off, although the reader later finds out that they left out of a sense of fear. Sethe herself never truly had a relationship with her own mother, who was hung when she was a small child. In her article “Beloved and the Problem of Mourning,” Heffernan talks about the collective “lost” and the difficulty that it creates for the family structure. “How do we read the story of the ‘unaccounted for?’ Morrison’s novel is a testament to this untranslatable loss, a loss that is embodied in Beloved, and that explains, in part, why Sethe cannot tell her story.” (Heffernan, 561) The most glaring example of a disregard to family bonds comes when a fourteen-year-old Sethe wishes to be properly married to Halle. She hopes to have a minister conduct a ceremony, and perhaps have a small dinner to celebrate, but Mrs. Garner does not allow her any legal or religious recognition of the marriage; Sethe simply moves into Halle’s cabin. At the time in America, marriage was a privilege central to good morality. Men and women were not supposed to sleep together before they were married in a proper ceremony, and it was considered shocking if they did. Mrs. Garner’s astonishment at Sethe’s request to make things honorable is further proof that these slaves were not seen as true human beings, but rather, seen as objects incapable of feeling emotion or celebrating normal rites of passage. With little or no family bonds, the main characters in this book are weaker and less able to confront the world. Relationships in their lives are transient from the beginning; because of slave trades they are unable to form strong support systems with blood relatives and friends. However, in some ways, this story is a testament to humanity, and shows that people will form meaningful bonds, even when their life circumstances make it very difficult. For instance, although she lost Halle, Sethe continues a good relationship with Baby Suggs and Denver at 124.

In Beloved, the characters not only experience a loss of name and a loss of familial bonds, they experience an overwhelming loss of humanness. One of the most defining moments in Sethe’s life is when she hears the schoolteacher describing her “animal characteristics” to one of his pupils. She never forgets that and is constantly reminded that through the eyes of her white owners, she is not seen as a true person. However, because the Garners are relatively benevolent, Sethe is sent mixed messages throughout the novel, such as the time when Mrs. Garner gives her the crystal earrings. The crystal earrings are very important to the novel, because they continue to stand for the one shred of humanity that Sethe feels she can keep for herself. Nevertheless, Sethe is assaulted and mistreated by the schoolteacher’s men while she is pregnant and realizes that she will never truly be free. This revelation is part of what drives her to commit infanticide when she comes to 124. Because she feels that her child will never have a sense of humanity or identity in the world, she is able to more easily kill her. This revelation is perhaps very similar to how her mother felt, when she killed every baby she had by a member of the crew that took her from Africa. In this novel, African-Americans are taught early that their lives do not mean as much as the lives of white people. This brings them to take drastic actions in order to prevent their children from having the same fate. In his article “The house the ghost built: Nommo, allegory, and the ethics of reading in Toni Morrison’s Beloved,” Handley suggests that the loss of Beloved (and her humanity) represents the deeper, more collective loss of the African-American people, as they were taken from their homelands, stripped of their traditions, and brought to the New World as slaves. “The figure of Beloved is Morrison’s attempt to figure a lost child, to fill the incalculable, metaphysical space inaugurated by the historical facts of loss during the Middle Passage and slavery. But as the section that serves as Beloved’s narrative autobiography shows us, her story is constituted as much by loss as by presence, much as silent rests are constitutive of music.” (Handley, 686-687)

In spite of these deeply scarring and life-changing losses of identity, the main characters in this book, particularly Denver, Sethe, and Baby Suggs, find ways to deal and cope with loss, particularly as it relates to death. In Dobbs’ article “Toni Morrison’s Beloved: Bodies Returned, Modernism Revisited,” she explores this theme, citing a conversation that Sethe and Denver have early in the novel. “Denver says, ‘If it’s still there, then it must mean that nothing ever dies,’ to which Sethe replies, ‘Nothing ever does.’ Given the haunting of 124 and the return of Beloved in the flesh, Sethe’s denial of death seems to commensurate with the world that Morrison invents.” (Dobbs, 568) In this passage, Denver is speaking of the ghost of Beloved. Dobbs believes that mourning, loss, and memory are central to the novel’s themes, and through the living ghosts, the pain of loss is slightly alleviated. The return of Beloved, although for a relatively short time, is what ultimately brings closure to Sethe’s crime and loss. She experiences what Baby Suggs knew toward the end of her life, that there is a world after death, that spirits live, and that in the end, there is a way to redeem oneself.

Loss holds the main characters in this book captive because it is all they have ever known. Therefore, it is an emotion that is multifaceted and manifests itself in many different ways throughout the course of the novel. Loss of name and loss of familial bonds lead to the much more serious loss of humanness and identity. Without a true sense of value for human life, the main characters find it difficult at times to love and care for one another emotionally. They were never encouraged to be human. Through Beloved’s return, Sethe and Denver are reassured that there is life on the other side. When Beloved leaves at the end of the novel, Sethe is once again left with a feeling of emptiness, and wonders if Beloved was really ever there at all. However, it is clear that Beloved’s short time with Sethe and Denver brought closure to and broke the chains of an old loss. For the first time, through dealing with her death, return, and eventual departure, Sethe and Denver will be able to finally live and love as human beings.

Laughter: the Best Medicine?

Show me a group of people that can laugh at themselves, and I'll show you a well-adjusted bunch. Comedy's become an immense part of our society; we have stores, college classes, and clubs dedicated to it, not to mention entire TV channels. Most people see comedy as a simple past-time, something they use to unwind. But I wonder if sometimes, for better and worse, if we make light of the issue.

To me, it's the Juno phenomenon: why did thousands of young adults find a movie about teenage pregnancy so witty, while their parents watched in acute shock and disbelief? Are we millenials a generation of irreverant cultural blasphemers, or do we represent something very new and curious in a society that has always seen its young members do something different with the status quo? Because we're not those free-thinking hippies, preaching free love and militant equality. We're not shouting, "screw the establishment." We're opening up the establishment with this unexpected, underground weapon that has crept up on our culture in the night. We're slowly killing the outdated mores, not with violence, protests, or boycotting, but with what no one ever saw coming: the startling and unusual ability to laugh at all of our biggest problems.

Jokes about hamburger phones and orange tic-tacs aren't the half of it. Maybe I'm different than most, but my group of friends represents a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, political philosophies, and religious views, yet we've learned to be the most tolerant by laughing at each other. Some of our nights out have included more offensive cracks than a Lisa Lampanelli stand-up--and they're often targeted at one another, all in good fun, of course.

That's the difference between the old world and the new, with no offense intended to my ancestors. Whereas we used to cry and complain, shout and loudly protest, our approach has changed. Now we laugh, and I truly believe we've killed 'em with kindness, broken down a lot of walls because we first had the courage to be a little irreverent. Mostly, we've gained the confidence to laugh at who we are--as people, as a nation, as a global community.

It's not all sunny, I have to admit. As lighthearted people everywhere have gotten closer for their love of comedy's effect on society, there's a dark side, too. I truly believe that the 2008 election was influenced (probably unfairly) by comedy sketches. Sarah Palin was not the winking, blundering, wisecracking beauty queen that Tina Fey and her SNL writers decided to spawn. Perhaps she had some elements of her caricature that showed up on TV, online, and all over the news in the weeks leading up to the election. But she was (and is) a real person, with real opinions and views, and in a way, I think those were overshadowed to the point where people forgot who was Palin and who was her impersonator. Her image was blended into a combination of the two, and that, I believe, is where comedy went too far.

To get this across, (in case I haven't enough already), I despise Palin's views. I wouldn't have voted for McCain if my life depended on it, and it wasn't his politics I disagreed with. Palin's views were dangerous and reactionary and harmful, and no comedy sketch could have made me dislike her any more than I already did. But I believe in the American election system and I value honesty. Therefore, I believe that the comedic media did her a disservice. 

Comedy has made light of everything in our society, something I feel is relatively new in such a widespread capacity. Perhaps in general, we should be careful what we laugh at. That being said, I think it's overwhelmingly done us more good than bad. It's taught us all to be open-minded on a whole new level--something that institutionalized mandates of any kind never could have taught us. I tend to personally lean towards irreverence, and I truly embrace most of this casual approach to age-old controversy.

So keep on laughing--you're doing your part to help mankind.

Good Night and Good Luck

I wrote this over 8 months ago, but it still rings true to me.

"This instrument can teach, it can illuminate, and yes-it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it towards those ends. Otherwise, it is merely wires and lights in a box. Good night, and good luck."
-Edward R. Murrow

If those words were applicable 55 years ago, they are ten times more moving and relevant now. I just finished watching a very well-made film about the sparks that flew between Murrow and McCarthy during the fear and paranoia of the early '50s. I can't believe it took me three years to watch "Good Night and Good Luck."

What is our role in this convoluted mess of journalism, politics, corporate profit, and the struggle for viewer interest? How far are we, as journalists, willing to go to defend the truth? Perhaps many would just rather keep their jobs. One has to wonder, with all of the (much-needed) talk about fair coverage and objective reporting, at what point we're all allowed to step in and editorialize. Where does the line exist between the watchdog and the pundit? Yet where does the line exist between the stone face of fact and the talking head who merely reads the prompter? These are the questions I find myself asking, as an aspiring journalist who hopes to someday make a difference, yet who has never really shown an obvious affinity for editorial writing.

The head of CBS at the time, at the end of the movie, claims he's never outright censored Murrow, who answers that "not saying no" doesn't equate to a complete lack of prior review. To which Paley replies that even Murrow has been guilty of making decisions of what to and what not to report-a form of censorship in its own way.

We read our books, we go to class, and we work on our respective publications with objectivity in mind. We are incredulous as we watch FOX News reporters scream their opinions to civilians and shamelessly advertise the protest movements that seem to best fit their side of the coverage. We are equally as incredulous as we watch CNN belittle FOX, making a mockery of the business in a childish political shooting match.

As students eager to report the truth, many of us also have a small flair for activism. On one hand, we're told to curb our opinions and remain unbiased--even if our gut and many of our mentors and teachers advise us to continually strive to act as the watchdog. On the other hand, the world whispers that if we take these journalistic skills to the world of comedic commentary, we could make a whole lot of money. Some people are very tempted and many are able to resist.

This business isn't dying--it's changing rapidly. But as I, with many others, struggle to decide on a sequence, it's becoming apparent to everyone that the news business is muddled and confusing right now. 

Luckily, as I saw in the movie tonight, we have the examples of a major few who have successfully gone before us; to keep us on the right track when we can't even see the road.