Bike. Tulips. More Bikes. Canals. Van Gogh. Bikes...

That's what most people think of when they think of Amsterdam. And most people are not wrong about this beautiful little city in Holland.

Although my trip to Amsterdam was short, we managed to jam pack a lot of great things into a few days. I went with my best friend's sister, Kim, who happens to also be a great friend of mine. We met some of her friends from Hotlanta and NYC and had a little adventure in Holland.

So, to start, we all stayed at an apartment right on one of the many canals. Like most European cities, Amsterdam was built from the inside out. As more people moved in, more canals were built around the city. These "canal houses" are really unique and beautiful...but really narrow. And as a result a little cattywampus. Climbing to our apartment was an adventure, with or without luggage. Check out how steep our stairs were.

That's definitely scary after a few beers! But all worth it for this view...

I don't have as much history about Amsterdam as I did Leipzig. We spent most of our time there just enjoying the city. We hung out at some local pubs...

 took a "romantic" canal cruise... (how gorgeous is this picture? Nice job Mark!)

saw a lot of bikes... 

Crossed bridges and took pictures of them too...

And went to the Van Gogh Museum. Unfortunately, I couldn't take any picture in there so I'm replacing one of Van Gogh's beautiful works with this gorgeous picture of tulips (my favorite...hint, hint) that Mark took.

All-in-all, this little city has a lot of atmosphere to offer. We had a great time, and I met some great new friends. I'm looking forward to traveling with them again!

Showing some love for Leipzig

I've been meaning to post these photos all week! Now with less than 24 hours to go until I leave on my next little jaunt (to Amsterdam with Kim-O), the race is on to get this blog up and out the door!

So here we go!

Last weekend, my lovely friends Jason Martin and Diana Hofsommer, invited me to visit them in their "home" town of Leipzig in the former East Germany. Although, I guess technically it is still in the eastern part of Germany...whatever, you get what I mean. I had such a wonderful time learning the history of this beautiful little town, eating and drinking traditional Saxon fare, and even celebrating St. Patty's Day! So, please, allow me to take you on a little walking tour to introduce you to Leipzig. (Jason, please correct and/or ignore any errors).

So where exactly is Leipzig?

Leipzig is a cozy little city located about an hour to an hour and a half southwest of Berlin. It has about 500,000 residents and is in the state of Saxony in Germany.

I loved the cafes and architecture of the center city. The picture on the right is of city hall and at the top you can see the Saxon crest. Notice the blue skies in both of these pictures. Leipzig might be my favorite German city thus far...because they absolutely delivered on the weather. It was GORGEOUS out, which made our 5 hour walking tour of the city very relaxing and comfortable.

Some recent history (1949-1989)

As I mentioned above, Leipzig was a part of East Germany, which was governed by the Communist Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR) from 1949-89. This period of time was really quite oppressive for most East Germans. They lived without many of the comforts and means that we take for granted today. I learned a lot about the Secret Police, or Stasi, at the Stasi Museum right in Leipzig. Essentially, the Secret Police were plain-clothed agents for the government. It could be your neighbor, your colleague, your "friend." The Stasi were responsible for keeping track of you...they kept tabs on what you did, what you said, what you ate, where you went. They had wire tapping devices, letter opening machines, they used dogs to trace your wherabouts using scent. It was a world with no secrets. After the wall fell, residents could attain their "file" and find out who was watching them. The whole experience was quite shocking for me.  

 

On a brighter note: Leipzig is also credited for the "Peaceful Revolution." When East Germany was falling, the government was trying to hold onto everything they had. Tens of thousands of Leipzig citizens gathered together and the mayor of Leipzig refused to sign the orders to use violence on the crowds. 20 years after the fall, Leipzigers and those from small cities around Leipzig came to celebrate the fall of East Germany. Jason and Diana were there. How cool is that!

Of course there are still indications of the DDR days. A lot of gray, concrete, non-descript buildings still line the outside of the city. Mostly college students and senior citizens live there today. I didn't take any pictures because they are just not that attractive. I did, however, find the statue below quite interesting. The left side of the artwork is representative of the communist regime...strict, rule-abiding, oppressed. The right side of the statue represents stepping out into a new day with freedom and rights.

Another symbol "left behind" from the DDR days is the Ampelman. This little bugger tells you when you can walk and when you can't. The city and the former East Germany has really embraced this guy, selling lots of coffee mugs and shirts. He's a cutie...

Now for some history, history (back in the day)

So Leipzig can definitely hold its own in the history category. Johann Sebastian Bach was the choir master for the boys choir in St. Thomas' church here. He's actually entombed in the church, which is beautiful, by the way. Please note: the man featured in the picture on the left is not a random stranger. That's Jason.

The picture below and to the right are of beautiful St. Thomas Church.

 

Leipzig also has a very famous statue depicting Faust, the German legend of a scholar who makes a "deal with the devil." People rub Faust's left foot for luck. I'm not sure if there's a connection with Leipzig and Goethe, the author fo Faust, but...it's here, so I rubbed the foot.

One thing that German's really do well (actually most Europeans) is coffee and cakes. But in reality, it was the Turks that brought coffee to the region so many years ago. I was lucky enough to take a break at Caffe Baum, the second oldest coffee house in Europe that's still standing. The ornate carvings show a Turkish trader bringing coffee to a cherub.  

In Leipzig they have what's called a Leipziger Lerche. Now made with marzipan, this little cake was once made with lark, but once King Albert understood their significance for agriculture (they eat bugs) and noticed the waning supply (400,000 alone were sold in 1720), he banned the use of the bird in the delicacy. And for all of you who are wondering...I have no idea if that is what the paper in my picture says. I just looked it up on Wikipedia.

And now for the strange...

OK...so one not so strange thing and one really, really strange thing. Jason and Diana own a Kleingarten (aka small garden). Found all over Germany, these little plots of land and laubens (aka sheds) allow people to get out and away from the city to relax and enjoy their gardens. So, what's weird, right? Well, most Kleingartens are owned by senior citizens. As noted in the picture below, Jason is not a senior citizen. See...told you it wasn't that strange. It's really actually pretty cool if you ask me. Plus the previous owner left a camping toilet in their lauben. So generous, right :)

So now for the super weird. I am very familiar with the goth culture. You know, the kids that die their hair jet black, pierce any and everything and listen to heavy metal music? I, however, was not at all familiar with the Waves. I guess they are inspired by Japanese Anime. I don't know. All I know is I took a lot of pictures of these girls...and just kept following them. I stopped paying attention to Jason as he explained the significance of something or another...I was on a mission, to understand what the hell was going on with these girls. Even now I still can't figure it out. I had to stop typing and think about the Waves for a second.

So on that note...that's all for now. Hope you enjoyed our little trip to Leipzig together. Next up...Amsterdam!

You win some, you lose some

So, now that I’ve been here for a few weeks, I’m clearly an expert at all things German, right? Ha! That’s a big, fat joke. Yes, while things are getting a little easier, they are still way hard. It’s interesting, because something that would have been second nature in the U.S.—ordering a coffee, going grocery shopping, cooking dinner, cleaning the bathroom—all require a hell of a lot more brain power. I’ve survived using pictures, which have led me astray in some instances. For example, I may have cleaned the mirror in my bathroom with toilet cleaner…I don’t know. All I know is my mirror is now worse off than it was before.

So, this general feeling of exhaustion is causing a little bit of a damper in my life, but I’m trying to take it in stride. I would be lying if I said it wasn’t a little overwhelming at times. And I may have cried a few tears over the bathroom incident. But, hey, I’m human.

Anyway, there are a few small victories that I’ve taken tremendous joy in…and one small snafu that I know you all will find hilarious.

First…the victories!

Blackberry – 0, Katie – 1

Yes, I defeated my Blackberry. When I arrived the admin for our group handed me my brand new German BB…and then said, but you can’t get email on it and IT has no solutions. What? You see, even though I’m living here for two years, I’m still on all the U.S. servers. So, not only does this mean it takes my computer 15 minutes to boot up in the morning, but it also means that my German-configured BB cannot access the U.S. server. Thus…I have to carry two work BBs PLUS my own personal cell phone. Total crap. So, after complaining about this in my head and then possibly out loud a time or two, one of the guys I work with in the States told me to just load the software. You know, the stuff they put in the box that I’ve always ignored before because IT handles all that stuff for you? And it worked!!! When that first email came through on my new phone, I literally stood up, raised my hands above my head and shouted “YES!” To which, of course, my office mate just shook his head. He has had to do this a lot.

I have the fanciest (and most complicated) headset known to man

The headset literally has its own touch screen interface. No joke. So of course I’m totally amped to look like the fanciest telemarketer ever! Only problem…instructions are in German and I have no idea how to use my desk phone. Seriously, I was trying to call someone for 20 minutes one day. Finally, I gave up and sent an email. So, this is where pictures, and some patience, came into play…oh yeah, and a little help from my German buddy in the States, Juergen. Again, victory over technology. This never happened in the U.S. Maybe forced out of my comfort zone I am an IT wizard.

The bahn…oh, the bahn

I have to say, I’m actually pretty impressed with how easy this was. I needed to take the train about an hour and a half away from Munich to Erlangen (aka, Siemens World). Sounds complicated, but I only made one mistake. Of course, the mistake was I sat in someone else’s seat…and that person did not speak English. That was an interesting discussion bright and early on Friday morning. But, I learned how to find a seat that is not reserved, and as I type this I am currently sitting comfortably in my non-reserved seat on the way back to Erlangen (again). No snafus this morning, thus, I count this as a victory.

Now for the not so glamorous moment…

Windows open how?

The windows in our office are a bit complicated. They open a variety of different ways and are like 400 pounds. So a couple Fridays ago it got really hot in my office. I had seen my office mate Thomas open the window the previous day, so I thought “I can totally figure this out.” And I did. I opened the window. It seems so ridiculous when I type it, but you have to see this window.

Anyway, the day went on without any issues at all and when it came time to leave, I put my coat on and went to close the window. Next thing I know, the window has fallen off the track and I’m holding up this giant, 400 lb, awkward window. Shit! Way to go American girl…first week in the office and you’ve broken the window. And it’s 4:30 p.m. on a Friday, no less.

So, my first thought is, I let go and this sucker’s going down. My second thought is, even if I could reach the phone I still don’t know how to use it. And even if I did, I have no idea who to call. My third thought was, man, this is going to be a long weekend and I’m already hungry. Needless to say, it was the thought of starvation that gave me the strength to jam the window onto the track just enough so that I could run (arms flailing) down the hall to my colleague’s office. The whole time I’m thinking…don’t fall, don’t fall.

So, of course, Markus’ reaction is priceless. “Oh my God, Katie, what did you do?” So, next thing you know, security and the firemen are involved.

So, small victories and some small snafus seem to be pretty commonplace in my life right now.

By the way, the window did get fixed. Phewf.

Who knew the grocery store could be such an adventure!

I love to cook. I love to eat. And I love to grocery shop. It's weird, I know. Most people dread that day every week where they have to battle crowds, organize coupons and create lists. Not me! Call me crazy. Call my OCD. Call me anything you'd like (I'll most likely respond), but I love grocery shopping. There's something about looking through cookbooks to create a menu for the week, organizing my list by aisle (thanks, Mary Henderson) and sorting coupons to get the best deals. It's soothing to me...I might even call it a hobby.

That's all fine and dandy in the U.S. where everything is written in English. But, it proves to be a little more complicated here in Germany. Here's why:

1) The grocery stores here are tiny, which when I think about it makes sense because so are the fridges. My fridge is only slightly larger than the one in my college dorm. That's ok, though, the grocery store is literally half a block away from my flat. So more time for my hobby, right? The only challenge is getting a cart down the tiny aisle with about 400 folks.

2) It takes me twice as long to figure out what the hell I'm looking at. I have to rely entirely on pictures or compare items trying to find a single word that resembles an English word. I'm not complaining here. It's a learning experience, and I'm definitely learning! And, this method totally works...I only ended up with 3 mystery items back at my apartment. Of course, when I went to put lotion on and it ended up being soap, that was a bit sticky.

3) There are no "baggers" in the check out lanes. My first experience trying to load the conveyor belt, pay and fill my bags all within mere seconds was nothing short of comical. I was still struggling as the two people behind me in line were leaving the store. I just ended up shoving things into my bag. This will take time and perhaps some practice drills at my apartment. Ha! The thought of that makes me laugh. Can you imagine Millie with a little stop watch. OK...enough of that.

4) Things taste a little bit different here. I was telling my friend, Heather, that the Vidalia onions just didn't taste the same. Well, no kidding, Katie. These are German onions (or at least European onions). They are not grown in Idaho or Ohio...or wherever onions come from in the U.S. Of course they will taste different. This will just take a little getting used to. I am also going to need to spend a small fortune to build up my spice collection again. Salt and pepper are great, but they only go far.

As I was typing this, my colleague just came in and gave me a tip for a great fresh market just a short walk away from my apartment. Maybe that's more my speed right now. Only time will tell...

Austria! It's like traveling to Indiana from Chicago

OK, I agree, Austria is NOTHING like Indiana. BUT, what is so cool is that you can travel to Salzburg in just 2 hours...it's like going to South Bend. OK, enough with the comparison, right? 


So, my parents were here this past week to get me settled into my new home. Unfortunately, my flat wasn't quite ready for me to move in, so instead we went to Austria for the day. Sounds so simple right..."oh, we just jetted off to Austria for the afternoon." But it really is! Seriously, Katie, get over it...yes, Europe is easy to get around...we get it!


OK, so here are some pictures from our adventures. I'll post all of them on my Facebook page, but here are some of my favorites.


This picture is cool for two reasons. 1) I have never seen a statue of a unicorn. And for all you who know me well, I often reference unicorns. 2) These are the steps that the Von Trapp family sang "Doe a deer..." in the movie The Sound of Music. More on that later...

So...yeah, I have no idea what this photo is...what it means...what the hell...BUT, it totally caught my whole family and our tour guide, Craig (super awesome Brit), off guard. He actually stopped what he was saying about  Mozart to turn all of our attention to this poster.  

I hope Maria and Nino don't mind, but this is pretty cool. There's a bridge over the river that connects New Salzburg to Old Salzburg. Lovers from all over the world come to this bridge to proclaim their love and commitment. They engrave (or in this case marker) a padlock to the fence and then throw the key over together. Sweet, huh? There were a few combination locks on the bridge, which I thought was pretty funny. Not quite there on the commitment, huh?

The main street in the old town was absolutely beautiful. While the shops have changed to more trendy and popular brands as opposed to mom and pops, the signs still have to follow the old tradition. Really beautiful and quaint. You'll see another view just below.

As I mentioned before, our tour guide was super awesome. So super awesome that he introduced us to a super secret sausage shop. OK, wasn't secret, but it was possibly the best sausage I've ever eaten in my life. Thank you, Craig. 

All you smarty pants out there know that Salzburg is Mozart's home town. Here's his house...that's all I've got on that.

Doesn't this look like a nice way to spend an afternoon. Pretty much perfection for me.

Salzburg is the "City of Music," and this guy proves it. A harpist street musician. That totally beats the woman who plays the finger cymbals at the red line station in Chicago. In all seriousness, the musicians in Salzburg have to pay the city 14 Euros a day to perform...it's a tough life for a musician even in the "City of Music."

Atop Salzburg's surrounding mountain tops is the fortress built to protect the city. No, it's not a castle. A castle is often found within the town, surrounded by a moat. A fortress sits atop the city. You all are more than welcome to use that as a conversation starter at your next cocktail party.

OK, as promised...more on The Sound of Music. So, the movie, which is actually based on a true story, was filmed in Salzburg. So as you can imagine, the town is a little obsessed. There is even a tour where you sing all the songs in the location in which they were filmed. If anyone has ever heard my mom or dad sing...they would know immediately that we did not do that tour. Sorry mom and dad. We did, however, visit Julie Andrews in one of the shops. So, what's interesting is how real Julie looks and how little time anyone spent making the kids look realistic. One of the kids was wearing Berkinstocks. I'm not lying. Also, check out the youngest child (far right). Yikes!

So, that's a little view into our trip to Salzburg. This is probably the longest blog ever because of all the pictures, but hopefully you enjoyed it. Until next time..."So long, farewell..." Sorry, couldn't help it.

Peaches and coconuts...a nice fruit salad

Just a couple of days ago I moved to Germany. Yep...packed up and moved for two years. Why the heck not, right? That's what I told myself anyway. But in reality, I guess I hadn't exactly prepared myself for all the change. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride. One moment this is the best possible thing I've ever done in my life, the next it's the worst. I think it's just going to take me some time to settle in and get my bearings. In the meantime, I've already learned a lot about Germany...and some of the weird things here. (Yes, I know I'm not supposed to call the customs in my new home "weird," but really is there any better word?)

First of all, let me give you the background on the title of my blog. Before I left for Germany I did take a crash course in cultural sensitivity training. And when I say crash course, I am dead serious. The trainer came to my apartment the first day at 9 a.m. and left at 6:30 p.m. I got two potty breaks...yeah, serious. Anyway, after I finished rocking myself in the fetal position from the overwhelming amount of information I had just received, I really started thinking about this concept of Peaches and Coconuts she had talked about.

Essentially, Americans are like peaches (soft and fuzzy, we can be sliced in many ways--much like the many different types of friendships we have) and Germans are like coconuts (hard on the outside and soft in the middle and "unsliceable"--meaning they have one core group of friends and then many acquaintances). Peaches, by nature, try to really get in there quickly and develop a friendship. But coconuts, typically, are hesitant to create a friendship that fast. So what happens when a peach encounters a brand new, shiny coconut...the result is often a bruised peach. Now, I'm not saying anything negative about the Germans. In fact, most of them know this analogy and agree with it. Germans just take their friendships very seriously. Americans have about a million "best friends." We toss the word around pretty easily. Nope, not saying anything negative about Americans either...I am the epitome of a peach. So, why does this concept intrigue me so much? Well, it's a pretty interesting look into a culture. Friendships and relationships are the bedrock of a society. So, of course, I am now a peach in a coconut tree trying to figure it all out.

If you want to learn more, check out this paper on the Peaches/Coconuts topic.

OK, enough of the deep stuff, right? Here are a few funny things that I've experienced so far.

1) I've paid 1 Euro 20 cents to use the bathroom. There are machines and turnstyles and everything in some public restrooms. This is brilliant! America, take note. It could be a solution to some of our debt issues...and it keeps the bathrooms really nice and clean. Although, my dad hates this concept and actually got chased by a lady for not paying. Oh, dad...

2) You are not allowed to smile on government IDs. My relocation consultant, Alexandra (who is super awesome!), told me to bring a biometric (passport) photo for my work permit. So, I got one in the U.S. at Walgreens and brought it along in my super flexy folder. When I got to the town hall to register for my permit, I handed the woman my photo and she scanned it into the machine. Super...great, no problem, right? Wrong. Apparently, you are not allowed to smile in German IDs. The machine actually kicked my photo back. I had to go to the photobooth down the hall and take a horrendous photo of myself. I'll let you be the judge, but I think I'll stick to smiling in all future photos. My boss told me he never wanted to see that photo ever again. I thought that was a bit harsh :)

3) Carnivale = Halloween + Kids Incorporated. We arrived just before Carnivale started here. It's essentially a big party (similar to Mardi Gras or Carnivale in Rio). So, my parents and I enjoyed the festivities throughout Marienplatz on Monday. All-in-all it was just like any street festival I had ever been to...fun, friendly, drinking, music. People were dressed up in all kinds of costumes, which was fun to see. The one thing that mesmerized me was these college-age kids who were dancing on stage to popular music. I'm not talking about freestyle dancing, but actual simple routines, ala Kids Incorporated. Why does this mesmerize me so...I have no idea, but I can't stop thinking about it.

Well, I suppose something new will distract very soon, and I'll be sure to post it right here. Until then, keep in touch!!!