21. Mai 2016
Today has been the longest day of traveling ever. It
started off super early when I woke up at 6:15 am to finish up some packing. We
then left for the airport at 7:45. There, we would have to go through passport
control and then security. This took a pretty long time, but then I finally got
to my gate. Even though I have a pretty big fear of flying, I was too tired to
even realize what I was about to do. I couldn't believe we were already
leaving, but the thought of seeing my family soon excited me so much! The first
flight felt so long. It was probably about 9 hours long. I watched the movie
Crazy, Stupid, Love which was really good! I then decided to start to watch
Inception, but this probably wasn't a good idea because I fell asleep and woke
up in the middle of it with absolutely no idea what was happening. I then slept
for most of the rest of the trip. When we finally touched down in DC, I was so
excited to be back in the US! However, I already had received messages from my
new German friends saying how much they missed us. I missed them so much too!
A quick one hour flight was all that was keeping me from being home and seeing
my family! However, before this flight, we would have to face the dreaded
process of customs and security. We had to wait in line for customs for almost
an hour! This process was made a little better by the fact that a nice couple
from Tennessee started asking us all about our travels to Germany. They shared
how they travel to a different country in Europe every year! It was so cool to
hear about all of the places they visited. Finally, it was time to board the
plane to Pittsburgh. It was such a small plane, and they said that the flight
would only be about 30 minutes. I slept the whole flight, and when I awoke, I
was finally home! On the way to baggage claim, I ran to hug my parents! I was
so excited to see them! On the way home, I talked their ears off with all of
the stories I had to share! When I got home, I was met by many surprises!
First, my brother had come home for the weekend from Michigan! I was so excited
to see him, and even more excited to give him all of the souvenirs I had bought
for him. But this wasn't the biggest surprise. My parents had a card waiting
for me right when I came home. Inside, the card read, "hope you enjoy your new
room!" I ran up to my room immediately and was met by a brand new room! My
parents had worked tirelessly over the two weeks I was gone to completely redo
my room! I could not believe my eyes! This was one of the nicest things anyone
had ever done for me, and I was so grateful. It was such a great ending to my
amazing trip. Overall, I will never forget this trip! It has been one the of
the greatest experiences of my entire life. I have made so many lifelong
friends and have made memories that I will never forget. I have wanted to
travel to Germany for as long as I can remember, and this trip truly met and
exceeded my expectations. We were able to see Germany from a totally different
perspective than most tourists. The German students gave us the true German
experience, and for that, I am forever grateful! I definitely have the travel
bug now! I cannot wait to see where my life takes me next!
Auf
Wiedersehen!
Lindsey
20. Mai 2016
I can't believe today is already here. It's our last day
in Germany, and I am experiencing so many emotions. On the one hand, I'm
excited to see my friends and family again, but on the other, I don't know how
I'll be able to say goodbye to all of the amazing friends I have made on this
trip. Nothing was planned for today, so we were able to enjoy a free day in the
city of Augsburg. It started off with a traditional Bavarian white sausage
breakfast at Riegele, the famous brewery in Augsburg. We had such a fun time
trying the food and enjoying each other's company! When the sausages arrived,
all of the Americans were so confused that we had to first remove the outer
layer before eating them. They were definitely unlike anything I've ever had,
but I enjoyed them for sure! After breakfast, we all went to get gelato one
last time. The gelato in Germany is definitely one thing I'm going to miss for
sure! Not only is it absolutely delicious, but it's pretty cheap, as well.
After getting our gelato, we walked to the city center where we had to say our
first goodbye of many. Our friend Lucie, who we all had become super close to
over the course of the trip, was leaving to visit her sister, so we had to say
goodbye. I tried not to cry, but it was impossible. All of the girls hugged
Lucie one by one with tears streaming down our faces. However, we made promises
to see each other again whether that be in the US or Germany. After this first
goodbye, I knew today would not be easy. Next, some girls and I set out on a
mission to buy the rest of our souvenirs for our friends and family. Along the
way, I asked directions to the mall in German. I was truly proud of myself for
how far my confidence in my language abilities had come over the course of the
trip. I know that when I intern in Berlin next summer for 3 months, it will
only get better. After buying all of our souvenirs and nearly maxing out our
spending money, we went back to the hotel to freshen up before a barbecue. Some
of the German students set up a big barbecue in the park across from our hotel.
It was such a fun time and a great end to such an amazing trip! We all sat
around laughing and listening to music. We grilled up some steaks, sausages,
burgers, and more! At one point, Patrick and one of the guys from Pitt,
Christian, climbed to the very top of a tree! It was so funny to watch as
Patrick sat up in the tree without a care in the world, and Christian held on
for dear life. What I have come to realize after this trip, is that the Germans
try to enjoy life to its fullest. They are always up for an adventure and
rarely let the opinions of others stop them from doing what they want. They
have taught me to branch out and try new things, and for that, I am forever
grateful. Saying goodbye was definitely not easy. Some tears were shed as we
all shared our last hugs. The only thing getting me through the goodbyes was
the fact that I am going to do everything in my power to try and see them next
summer when I come back to Germany. Also, the Germans now know that they always
have friends in Pittsburgh if they ever want to visit! I am confident that we
will all stay in touch and that this is not the last time we will see each
other. I never imagined that we would all become so close, but I am so so glad
that we did.
Bis Später!
Lindsey
19. Mai 2016
What a long day it's been! It was our last planned day, and
we spent it in one of the cutest cities I have ever been to, Ulm. It started
off early as we took the tram to the main train station in Augsburg. It was
already starting to rain, and having lost my umbrella at Dachau, I knew that I
was in for a long day of trying to escape the rain. We then took the ICE which
is a super fast train. I tried and tried to stay awake on the train so I could
talk with my German friends Manuel, Katha, and Patrick, but I knocked out almost
immediately after we started moving. Before I knew it, I was being tapped on
the shoulder by Patrick to get up because we were there. Even through the
downpour, I could tell that Ulm was absolutely beautiful! We were given an
extensive tour of the city. We spent a lot of the tour in the Ulm Münster,
which is the tallest church tower in the world! It was absolutely stunning
inside, as well. Looking up at the tower, I was getting a little nervous,
because I knew that I would be climbing all 768 steps of it later that day.
Also, I had made a bet with my friend Patrick that I could beat him to the top,
so I was in for quite a workout! The city of Ulm was spectacular with its
canals and beautiful architecture. It reminded me of Venice, which makes sense
as the tour guide explained that a lot of it was modeled after the Italian
city. As the rain picked up even more, we had finally reached our lunch
destination, a German pancake house. I did not even think pancake houses
existed in Germany, so I was very surprised when we had come upon it! This was
unlike any pancake house I have ever been to, though. Not only did they serve
sweet pancakes, but they served pancakes with almost anything you can imagine on
top of them! The pancakes arrived, and they were the size of an extra large
pizza! I ordered one that had creamed spinach, bacon, and a fried egg in it, and
it was really good! I can honestly say that I've never had anything like it in
my entire life. I did not come close to finishing it, so I was amazed when I
saw that my friend Patrick had finished every bite of his and then moved on to
finishing mine! Even though I was so full, some friends and I decided to order
a dessert pancake. I cannot believe how much food I've already eaten on this
trip! I am definitely hitting the gym as soon as I get back! After lunch, I
explored the city and did some shopping with Patrick and Manuel. After some fun
looking through the shops, it was time to climb the tower. As I looked up from
the base of the tower, I immediately regretted my decision to race Patrick. We
then set off to start the climb! At first, I was a close second to Patrick, but
before I knew it, I had completely lost sight of him as he ran up the steps! I
was starting to becoming a little dizzy and claustrophobic as I made continuous
loops up the stairs. As I made it to the first platform, I thought I was done,
but my heart nearly dropped as someone informed me that there were still four
more platforms to go! So I kept on, breathing heavily with each step. After
perseverance and some pep talks to myself, I finally made it to the top, where I
was greeted by Patrick who had already been there for probably 10 minutes! Even
though my legs were a little shaky and I could barely catch my breath, the view
was worth it entirely! It was spectacular! After taking in the view for as long
as I could, I realized that I had to walk back down. I slowly walked down,
making sure not to lose my balance. When I finally touched down on ground, I
was so happy and proud of myself! After our exhausting climb, it was time to
head back to Augsburg for our farewell dinner with the German students at the
Ratskeller, which is a really cool restaurant in the basement of the Rathaus in
the city center. I could not believe that this would be the last time that we
all would be together. I could already feel myself getting emotional, but I
enjoyed the night talking and laughing with all of my new friends! We then
exchanged gifts with the German students in our groups. They loved their Pitt
t-shirts and even proudly put them on as soon as they got them! Overall, it was
an amazing ending to a great day and an even greater two weeks with the amazing
German students who treated us so nicely and became our friends so quickly. I
am incredibly grateful to have had this opportunity to work with all of them. I
was definitely sad this night, but I knew I would be seeing a lot of them the
next day for breakfast and then a barbecue later that night, so I tried to save
my emotions for the next day. The thought of having to say goodbye to all of
them made me so sad, but I knew I would be returning with so many stories to
tell!
Bis Später!
Lindsey
18. Mai 2016
What a relief that today is over! Today was the day that
we had to present our final presentations on our companies. I knew it would be
incredibly stressful, so I made sure to get a good night of sleep. When I woke
up, I immediately put on my business casual and headed to the university where I
met my group for lunch at the Mensa. There, we also met with some of the other
groups and all sat together. I accidentally made the mistake of ordering
spinach lasagna that had fish in it, which I wasn't a very big fan of but it
didn't go to waste because my friend Ben accepted it with open arms. After
lunch, it was time to get down to business. Our PowerPoint was already done but
we had to work on perfecting the actual presentation, which was still well over
the 20 minute time limit. We practiced and practiced until we could not practice
any more. At this point, we were all feeling pretty tired and drained, so we
went to print out our PowerPoint and then take a break. Printing at the univeristy costs money, which made me really thankful for the free print system we
have at Pitt as it is super convenient! Next, a few of my group members and I
went back to the restaurant on campus once again to order some desserts so that
we could de-stress before having to present. I got three scoops of ice cream,
and it was exactly what I needed to get me ready for the presentation. After
ice cream, we went to the presentation room and practiced one last time. We
ended up going first for our presentation, and I was super nervous! However, it
went so well! By talking as fast as I could to conclude the presentation, we
just stayed under the time limit. I was so proud of our group and how far we
came in just a few short days! We were able to deliver an amazing presentation
that really embodied the innovation and ground-breaking technology at B&M
and how they are always looking toward the future. After watching the rest of
the presentations, which were all so impressive, a bunch of us decided to go
into town to get some dinner and celebrate! We went to Capitol, which is a super
cool restaurant in an old movie theater. All of the food is named after
different hit movies. For example, I ordered the "Pulp Fiction" burger. It was
so delicious that I finished the whole thing and even had a slice of my friend's
pizza she had ordered! It was such a fun time as we all enjoyed great food and
conversation with the German students! Overall, it was a great end to a
stressful day!
Bis Später!
Lindsey
17. Mai 2016
Today was the last of our site visits. We went to PPG in
Ingersheim, which was about a 3 hour bus ride and a great opportunity for a nap.
I was especially excited to go to PPG since it is headquartered in Pittsburgh.
I knew that it would be really interesting to see how they operate in another
country. Overall, the visit was really great! Marcus, the director of supply
chain, really set up a great day for us! He is a Pittsburgh native, and we had
already met him in Pittsburgh when he gave us a pre-lecture on PPG. Everyone at
PPG was so friendly, and you could tell that they loved their jobs and were
dedicated to putting forward their best efforts. I really admired their
dedication. It is what I want to aspire to have and show in my everyday life.
After the visit, we left to go back to Augsburg. When we got back, it was time
to really get to work on finalizing our projects as they were due the next day.
Before getting to work, my group went to Unikum, which is a really cool
restaurant right on campus at the University of Augsburg. I ordered Currywurst,
which is something I've been told I need to try when I go to Germany. I was not
disappointed! It was really really delicious. I was sad that I hadn't tried it
earlier in the trip so that I could have ordered it again and again! Next, we
went to the library and were met by a special visitor! All of the American
students were so surprised to see a cute cat relaxing in the library! This
little guy is actually quite famous around the university! He is known as the
"campus cat," and the Augsburg students told me that he actually has more likes
on Facebook than the university itself! Of course, I had to get a selfie to
document the moment! After a small break to hang out with the cat, we got down
to work and worked for about 4 hours! Time went by quickly though because it was
nice to be spending time with the German students in our group. After finishing
up the PowerPoint, we all were exhausted, so we decided to actually go back to
Unikum for some late night snacks and refreshments. The same waitress was
working, and she found it very funny that we were back! It was a nice way to
relax after working so hard! After, we parted ways and went back to the hotel.
We had to rest up for the big presentation that was to come the next
day!
Bis Später!
Lindsey
16. Mai 2016
Today has honestly been a fairytale! I finally got to go to
Neuschwanstein, which is an amazing castle in the Alps and probably one of the
most beautiful places in the world. It was the castle that inspired Cinderella's
castle, so I honestly felt like a princess for the day. As we pulled up to the
castle, it did not look real. I have never seen such a beautiful sight in my
entire life. It was then time to hike all the way up to the castle. Since I
have hiked up to the Hollywood sign before, I was prepared to take on this
feat. I talked to two of the German students, Jan and Christoph, the whole way
up so this also made it more fun! When we finally got up to the top, I was taken
away! It was amazing! After countless pictures, we then went inside for a tour.
Unfortunately, we could not take any pictures inside, but it was so grand and
beautiful inside, as well. I was amazed by all of the detail that went into
perfecting each room and by how well-preserved everything was. We were all a
little bummed that the bridge where you can get a perfect picture of the whole
castle was closed for construction, but we definitely still got a great view.
After touring the castle, we were all starved! It was time to make the hike back
down the hill to leave for lunch. For lunch, we drove to Füssen, a small town
right near Neuschwanstein. The town was right out of a postcard! It was
probably one of the cutest places I have ever been to! For lunch, we had three
options, all of which were traditional Bavarian dishes. My lunch was so good,
but at this point, I probably would have eaten anything because I was so
hungry! Next, we were able to explore the town for a little bit. My friends
and I definitely ate our way through Füssen. First, we bought "Ballin" which
were these huge cookie balls with fillings. Right after, we got gelato!
Everything just looked too good to pass up! After leaving Füssen, we went to
the famous Wieskirche, which is a breathtaking German church. At this point, my
friends and I were exhausted so we sat in the pews and took in the beautiful
sights. Right outside of the church, they were selling traditional German
doughnuts, and even though my friends and I already had enough sweets, we
couldn't help but order one. It was definitely a great decision. The warm
donut was perfect to keep us warm on such a cold day! After the Wieskirche, it
was finally time to head back to Augsburg. I'm pretty sure all of us fell
asleep on the bus because at this point, we were exhausted. When we got back,
my group decided to meet to work on some of our final project. We just worked
in the lobby of the hotel. After working for a little, some of my friends and I
went into the city to get some dinner. We went to a Mexican restaurant because
food was half-priced on Mondays. Most people would probably find it strange to
go to a Mexican restaurant in Germany, but it was so delicious! It was probably
some of the best Mexican food I have ever had! After dinner, we went back to the
hotel and crashed almost immediately. What an eventful and fun day!
Bis
Später!
Lindsey
15. Mai 2016
Today has definitely been an emotionally exhausting day. I
knew it would be a difficult day because we were going to be visiting Dachau,
the first concentration camp. I've learned so much about the horrors of the
Holocaust in school, but I can honestly say that nothing compares to actually
standing on the grounds where so many innocent people lost their lives. I had
always wanted to visit a concentration camp because this part of history
fascinates me. I just can't wrap my head around how something like this could
have happened in our history. When we got there, we were met by our tour
guide. As soon as she began to speak and introduce what we were about to see, I
worked to suppress my tears. As we walked towards the camp, I saw the entrance
gate with the infamous words "Arbeit macht frei," which means "work will set you
free." Of course for many of the prisoners of the camp, this saying would never
be true. Walking through the gate was an extraordinarily emotional experience
as I imagined how the prisoners must have felt as they were forced into the camp
against their will, losing all traces of their freedom and individuality. As I
turned and saw the tears stream down my friend Veronica's face, I walked to her
side to comfort her. Coming from a Jewish background, the experience was
especially emotional for her. We then walked to the registration building.
This is where the prisoners were forced to give up all of their belongings and
were reduced to only a number. While in the registration building, I imagined
the terror that the prisoners must have felt as they lost everything and
prepared to face their uncertain fate. Next, we went to one of the original
barracks where some of the prisoners were kept. Inside, it was extremely
eerie. The guide explained how the small rooms were actually divided into three
at some point and used as standing rooms to punish the prisoners. In these
rooms, there was not enough room to sit, let alone lay, so the prisoners had to
stand for 72 hours without food or water. I absolutely cannot imagine having to
do such a thing or how someone could treat another human being so terribly.
This was the only original barrack at the camp. Two were rebuilt, but all of
the others were just outlined where they use to stand. As we left the barrack,
we made the long, ominous walk to the crematorium. Just on the walk, I started
to tear up knowing that so many prisoners had made this walk without knowing
what awaited them on the other side. We arrived at the crematorium, and
immediately saw a stone monument that read "Denken daran wie wir hier starben,"
which means "think about how we died here." The tour guide then set us free to
walk through the "showers" where poisonous gasses were used to kill prisoners
who were told they were simply going to take a shower. I have learned about
these before, but not until now did it truly become a reality. We walked in as
the prisoners did and entered into the room where they were forced to strip down
to nothing. Next, they were met by a sign that read "Brausebad," which is an
old German word for "showers." As I entered into the showers, I couldn't help
but start to cry. I cannot really explain what came over me, but this was truly
an emotional experience unlike anything I have ever encountered. Next, we
walked into the room where the corpses were left until they were cremated. The
pictures on the walls of the room that documented this gruesome site were hard
for me to look at. I could not imagine how the US troops, many of whom were my
age, would have felt as they liberated the camp and were met by this sight. Next, we walked through to the last room where we saw the crematorium. At this
point, I could barely see through my tears. As I left the building, we then
were able to tour one of the reconstructed barracks. The guide explained how
each of the rooms represented a different time period and how the bunkers
changed as time progressed. At last, we were brought to a monument that read
"never again" in several languages. The guide thanked us for coming to visit
the camp as our visit is another step to ensure that such a horrific event never happens again in our history. At the close of the tour, we went to view a
documentary that really just brought everything together and clearly summarized
everything we had learned that day on our tour. After our visit, we headed on
the buses to go back to Augsburg. When we got back, it was time to work on our
group projects. My group decided to meet at one of our group member, Christian's, apartment which was right near the campus. It was interesting to compare their
living conditions to our rooms in the dorms. His room was definitely similar,
just a little more modern and clean looking, with a lot of white furniture and
bright lights. We worked on our project for about 3 hours and then went back to
the hotel to order some Chinese food with a few of the German and American
girls. We all just sat in the lobby and ate our food and had a relaxing night.
After the tour of Dachau, I really appreciate everything in my life. It made me
so thankful for the opportunities I have already had and was about to have during
the rest of the trip.
Bis Später!
Lindsey
