Fabulous Verden and Geburtstag Celebrations

by: Gretyl:  

The team is about to wrap up another fabulous week in the charming towns of Verden and Achim.

This evening, the RC Verden hosted a lovely farewell dinner for us, and the room was alight with much conversation between team members and local Rotarians, which, as I have said before, is the highlight of this exchange.

Rotary District 7870 team with RC Verden, Germany

Our Verden hosts have been no less gracious than our former hosts, and have continued to help us improve on our Deutsch language skills (ein bissen), our understanding of European history, and our appreciation for all that Northern Germany has to offer.

We spent Saturday in Hamburg, a vital trade city, walking around to see both modern and historic structures (of which there are few as a result of the wars), and enjoying the light breeze off the river on a ferry ride.

View of Hamburg from St. Michael's Cathedral.

On Sunday, we visited Fischude and the Otto Modersohn Museum (which I really enjoyed), had some lunch at "Caffe Crazy" in Worpswede, a famous community for artists, and enjoyed a peat boat ride.  Later in the evening, we were treated to a beautiful and delicious homemade dinner and more wonderful conversation at the home of Rotarian Herr Dupree and his wife, Barbara.

Monday was a public holiday in Germany and also meine Geburtstag, and I am so happy to have spent it with my host family, Ingrid and Klaus Kossow.  I arrived at my seat at the breakfast table to find a coffee cake encircling a candle wreathed in little flowers, which was a lovely way to start the morning.

Birthday Cake for Breakfast!  With Klaus and Ingrid.

Shortly thereafter, the Duprees phoned to sing me Happy Birthday and to wish me and my family good health and long lives, and I pretty much did not stop smiling for the rest of the day.

I also received messages and warm wishes from my two previous host families and other friends we have made along the way, which made my special day even more special (as cheesy at that sounds, I mean it sincerely.)

Jodi, Karen and I took a walk to the Achim Windmill with Ingrid and Klaus and enjoyed some jazz music in the afternoon, and then the rest of the team came over to enjoy a variety of cakes, both homemade by Ingrid (lemon cake, my favorite, and cheesecake) and rich, creamy cakes from the local bakery.

The team came together at the home of Ingrid and Klaus Kossow to celebrate my birthday on Monday, including "Iggy" another of our Rotary hosts in Verden.

It was really a perfect day and I think everyone on the team appreciated the relaxing holiday with no real schedule.

Today, Tuesday, we each had a vocational day, and I visited Verdenen Alle-Zeitung, a small and laidback newsroom in Verden, and especially enjoyed chatting with an editor named Reike, as we are the same age and share many of the same feelings about being journalists today.


We are already "Facebook friends" and I am hoping she will take me up on an invitation to come visit New Hampshire.  The hospitality we are greeted with here over and over again is humbling each time, and I look forward to returning it in future days.

For the second time so far this adventure, I will also be in a newspaper article instead of writing one.  I will post the link to the story when/if it becomes available tomorrow!  Nord-West Zeitung in Oldenburg also ran a short blip about the team's trip,with a picture of yours truly

A picture much like this one will appear in Verden's local daily on Wednesday.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, we head for Huemmling zu Soegel.  "Where is that?" you ask.  Well, no one really seems to know much about it, so we will be sure to post details and pictures in the coming week.  But we are all quite confident that the people we meet will be wonderful, and that is all that matters.

P.S.  Christine says "Hallo"  and hopes to post an update soon!

Until next time, Gute Nacht

Bremen, part 1

Welcome to week 2.  It's hard to imagine that we've been here for 7 days already!  We've seen and done so many wonderful things that I am in constant awe of all that these cities we're visiting have to offer.  After a bittersweet hand-off from Oldenburg to Bremen at lunch on Friday, we met Herr Ziegler who somehow managed to fit all five of us and our luggage into a van.  I think being able to pack a car really should be a skill to put on your resume, since you never know when you'll need to put many bags into small places, right?

Well, after playing 'luggage tetris' we were off to Bremen, but not without a pit-stop for a plane ride.  We drove through the schön countryside and stopped at a small airport, really not unlike the Oceana County airport where I grew up in Michigan.  After stretching out legs and admiring the windmills (seriously, they're EVERYWHERE here and I think it's so awesome!) we met Harald and were taken for a flight in his plane to see Bremen from above.

An aerial view of the outskirts of Bremen

 

 

 

 

Talk about an incredible experience!  Now only are we in Germany meeting and seeing some of the country's best people and places (because without a doubt, Rotarians are the best of the best!), we're certainly doing so in style.  I can't say an aerial tour of Bremen was what I had expected for this trip, but having done so I'm very grateful for Herr Ziegler and the others from the Bremen club for having planned such a thoughtful trip for us!

Saturday was a bit of an early morning, but for good reason.  We took a boat ride up the River Weser to spend the day in Bremerhaven, a port city located on the north sea.  The trip was a little over three hours, but talk about a great way to travel!  My host family, as well as Herr Ziegler and his wife were our tour guides for the day.  For me the boat ride was a nice and quiet time to do some knitting, bask in the beauty of the Northern Germany countryside, and to reflect on how grateful I am to be here on this trip. 

Me & Gretyl enjoying the boat ride

We visited two museums that day, a shipping museum and the Deutsch Auswander Haus (a museum on German immigration).  The shipyard museum was very fascinating, with a guided tour that ended up with the display of a 700 year-old ship.  Every day here I am just in awe of the history and culture that exists, especially the respect that Germans have for said history and culture.  Without a doubt I have learned more in the last 2 weeks than I could have ever imagined, and we're just getting started!  The Auswander Haus was especially exciting for me as my Great Grandfather immigrated to the USA in 1909 through Rotterdam in the Netherlands.  The museum was set up in a 'learning by doing' style, which really made it an experience I am not soon to forget.  After a short introduction we were taken in to an incredibly ominous room set up as a life-sized replica of the dock and ship with people boarding to go to the new world.  I was really struck with teh somber mood of fear and excitement all at the same time.  To be able to put myself in the shoes of my ancestors (even though he did not travel through Bremerhaven) is something I am very thankful for.  The whole museum was set up in a similar manner, where you really experience the stations, per say, that someone who was immigrating went through.  To sum it all up, it was truly an incredible day. 

For me, Sunday was one of the best days in Germany yet, as I was reunited with my sister Jeni, who I had not seen since she visited me in NH in September of 2010.

Me and my sister Jeni at the park

Because we skype often it hasn't seemed like that long, but it sure was great to be able to see her and catch up on everything that has been happening in both of our lives.  It really worked out perfectly that we had a 'day off' on Sunday which just so happens to be Jeni's day off too and she lives only an hour train-ride away in Hamburg.  She took an early train and came to my host family's home for second breakfast (which is so cool, how can you not love a country that eats my favorite meal of the day multiple times?!?) before we left for jazz in the park.  Talk about a great way to enjoy the afternoon, sitting in the park with friends drinking some alkoholfrei (a perfect way to enjoy the taste of beer at 11:30am without the guilt of drinking so early!) beer and listening to the band play.  I am really fascinated how the people here are really quite purposeful in making time to enjoy life, and not let work consume them.  Taking the time to breather, enjoy the world around me, and just bask in the moment is a German practice that I look forward to bringing back with me to the USA.  That and sparkling water... who ever thought I'd find wasser mit gas so refreshing?

Really I feel like I've been saying this a lot and will continue to do so, but I truly am honored and humbled to be a part of this GSE team representing the Manchester Rotary club from District 7870 here in Northern Germany with District 1850.  But it's getting late, and even the song on my playlist is saying 'I guess I should go to Sleep' so with that I am off.  Until next time!

~Jodi
 

Intro to Deutschland via Oldenburg

by: Gretyl

As soon as we left Oldenburg and I had Internet access, I emailed my boyfriend and told him to get his passport in order.

“I have to come back,” I said.

I did not expect this to happen.

On our second day in Oldenburg, over meals of smoked eel, white asparagus and brats, our esteemed and now beloved host Herr Doktor Michael Schulz of the Oldenburg Rotary Club asked us about our expectations for our trip and for Germany.

Most of us said we didn’t have any, and the good teacher that he is, he challenged us.

One always has expectations, he told us.

So, as not to be too polite, here is my truth.

I expected I would enjoy my trip to Germany, but not necessarily want to return.  I expected to be greeted by a country gray and stern, and found quite the opposite.

From the moment we were greeted in Bremen Airport by a large group of Rotarians, including our host families, with coffee and chocolate, they made us feel as if we were friends, not strangers.

And THIS is what makes for a good adventure. 

The next five days are hard to put into words.  The city of Oldenburg is just beautiful, and very historic, as it is one of few places in Germany not to have been destroyed during the World Wars.

Oldenburg Castle

Karen and I stayed with Stefanie and Gerd Reiners in their beautiful home in the “new” part of the city, which is also where Gerd (81) was born.    On our first day, they took us for a walk, we enjoyed some coffee, and then went back to their home for dinner and rest. 

My view in Oldenburg.

On Monday, Michael and two former university professors provided us with an overview of Europe, Germany and Lower Saxony, which has proved more than helpful as our adventures have continued in northern Germany.

Michael, ever the teacher.

He then led us on a fascinating and fun tour of the city.

On Tuesday, I spent my vocational day at Nord-West Zeitung, the main newspaper in Oldenburg. 

I visited with editors in the newsroom, sat in on their news conference, which used video equipment that allowed nine reporters spread throughout greater Oldenburg to participate and I liked seeing this coming together of news staff for a short discussion each morning, no matter their location.

The paper’s general manager, Ulrich Gathmann, and the owner (whose name escapes me at the moment) treated me to some fine dining at a local restaurant.  It was the first of many meals so far to feature Spargel, white asparagus, which is in season until mid-June here in Germany. We had a vibrant discussion about the newspaper business as a whole, and how things are changing.

Things are not so different in Germany as they are in the United States thanks to the World Wide Web, but as a media house, Nord-West Zeitung is helped by also having associated radio stations and a television studio.

They also gave me a tour of their printing presses, which was a fine example of German efficiency.

Me with Herr Gathmann at the NWZ printing presses.

It was a very informative day, but the highlight was also the capstone, when Herr Gathmann took me for my first real ride on the Autobahn in a very nice, very new BMW.  On the Autobahn to Wilhelmshaven we hit the maximum speed of 250 km/hour, which was as exciting as it sounds.

The next three days in Oldenburg were no less amazing and leaving was bittersweet, just like a traditional cup of tea, as we left for the next leg of our journey.

Farewell from our new friends in Oldenburg.  From left, Michael and Silke Schulz and Stefanie and Gerd Reiners.

In my humble opinion, we could not have asked for a better introduction to Germany.

GSE Team to Deerfield Valley

Willkommen to the Deerfield Valley. I had the opportunity to meet the GSE team from Bremen. They have come to District 7870 to do the same that I will be doing in Niedersachsen. I hope them the best in our state!

RC Oldenburg

We have just left Oldenburg, after 5 marvelous days visiting. I enjoyed every minute, maybe except for the Theatrespiel! Dass war sehr schwer zu verstanden. Vielen Dank to Herr Doktor Schulz, although he would much rather prefer just Michael. Thank you to Johannes and his family for putting me up.

I will highlight the best parts of my time in Oldenburg: first, the people, everyone welcomed me like and old friend, thank you to all. Second, Getranke und Spiesen. Good food, good drink and good people, what more is there to say?

I enjoyed, immensely, getting around by bike. Compared to Philadelphia, riding a bicycle in Oldenburg is the most relaxing thing anyone can do. Here Hennings hat zu mir gesagt, dass Ich guck wie ein typisch Oldenburger mit Johannes fahrrad.

Bis spater!

Hallo von Deutschland

Hello from Germany!  We have made it safe and sound!  While things have been very busy for us, we just wanted to give a quick up date.  Here is my re-cap of the first day from my personal blog, Misplaced Michigander.

Well, I can not begin to try and explain my long absence from my blog other than the fact that life has been super super busy the past year.  As a matter-of-fact, I'm not even writing this from the US, I'm in Germany!  I am here as a part of a Rotary program called Group Study Exchange.  This is a program of the Rotary Foundation that allows folks young in their careers to travel to another country and learn about their profession there.  Pretty incredible, if you ask me!  We arrived in Germany Sunday around noon, and so far everything has been really amazing!  Granted, with this being my first time outside of the United States besides driving through Canada to visit with mom and dad in Michigan I kind of expected everything to make me excited:).  Before you ask, nein, meine Deutsch ist nicht serh gut (aka my German is not very good... I can ask for the bathroom and beer, though, so what more does a girl need?). 

So far each day truly has been an adventure in its own right.  Sunday was a very peaceful and relaxing day, considering the very long flight we had the day before.  For someone not used to flying, like myself, the travel from Manchester to Philly to Munich to Bremen was quite the trek.  I'm traveling with 4 others from the USA, so that was nice to not make such a long flight alone.  We arrived to a rather regal reception (in a good and special way), with our host families and several other key Rotarians from the district meeting us and taking us for kaffee in the airport.  Then it was off to our host homes to get to know the families and become oriented with the city.  Both lunch and supper consisted of asparagus, which for me was fun because that is a staple food for this time of year in Oceana County, where I was born and raised.  Although, here the asparagus is white and at home it is green (white is grown without any sunlight).  Nevertheless, my first German meals were delicious :)  After lunch I went for a bicycle ride with my host family, which was so very incredible.  Here in Oldenberg everyone, and I mean EVERYONE rides bikes.  I've never dreamed of a more eco-friendly community, people even stop their cars when the gate for the train is down!  Something no one in the US I think would ever abide to!  But I digress.  The first stop on our bikes was I think my favorite, we saw the sheep on the dyke.

These were even Suffolk sheep like I used to raise growing up in Michigan!  I also got to see my first public display of Yarn Bombing which to me was so very cool!  I've loved to knit and crochet for a very long time and started to become interested in this idea of knitting as street art.  Check it out!

Needless to say, I've been having an incredible time and am now off to visit an after school program!  Right up my alley!  Tschüss for now, and more of our adventure to come soon! :)

~Jodi

Tomorrow's the big day!

Wow.  It's hard to imagine that in just over 24 hours we will be boarding our plane and heading to meet the folks from District 1850.  All of the planning, packing, and German lessons are finally going to be put to good use.  Karen, Gretyl, Christine, Jon, and I are all looking forward to our upcoming adventures over the upcoming weeks, and representing District 7870.  Auf Wiedersehen for now, and we'll see you in Germany!

~Jodi