American Football in Munich

By Jenn Ghelardini


At the University of South Carolina, being in the SEC, we do not take football lightly. In fact, it is the most important thing for most students for the entire fall semester.


It is such an important part of our lives, that it is hard to imagine not living in a "football country." In Europe, soccer is their futball; it may even be more important to them. So, it was surprising for me when I met some football players from the University of Northern Ohio who said they were here to teach an American football camp to German high school students, and play the Bavarian American Football League Allstar Team.


The differences between American football in the states and Europe are interesting and worth noting.


For one, people in Munich are n0t very enthusiastic about the game, as there were not many fans in attendance at the UNO vs. All stars game.


The most humorous (and possibly not too healthy) aspect of the game is that some of the Germans drink as they say "water with gas" (sparkling water) during the game. I was always told to avoid carbonated beverages days before an important tennis meet or race, so I cannot even imagine being an athlete and drinking a carbonated beverage in the middle of a football game. The air in the carbonation distorts the absorption of oxygen to the muscles, which is not good for any physical activity, especially that as intense as football.


Another part of the UNO vs. All stars game I found interesting was how nice the Bavarian players were. Some of the Bavarian players actually shook hands with the American players in between plays. It was not the stereotypical tough guy scenario.You would not find them getting in a fight or going to jail.

I found it interesting that the football players on the Bavarian team were so polite and well behaved. Also, I found it so odd that the players drank carbonated water during the game. Overall, I love the game of football, and it was a nice change to see it played with a more relaxed and friendly environment.

Weather

By Jenn Ghelardini

The hackneyed phrase "to change like the weather" holds true to Munich.

When I arrived at the Munich airport it was cold and cloudy. The weather quickly digressed to a rather frigid and rainy couple of days. Then out of nowhere it cleared up and I was fortunate to witness a fortnight of warm, pleasant and beautiful weather.

Unfortunately, the weather has come full circle, and today´s forecast was for 100% "chance" of rain, with a high of 47° and a low of 46°. This does not sound too pleasant, nor offer any variability.

The moral of this post is to inform you to pack many layers and be prepared for anything and everything!

River Surfers in Munich

The 10 Best Things About Munich (Compared to Columbia)

By Whitney Robosson

10.) Shopping! I agree with a point I heard Maddy make earlier this week: In Columbia, everyone ends up wearing the same thing because there are only a few good places to shop! The people in Munich certainly do not have this problem. I would take a year to look through all the clothes stores here. And another interesting note: guys actually go shopping here. The men’s sections are almost as crowded as the women’s.

9.) Unique restaurants. There are tons of unique restaurants in Munich. In fact, that’s one of the first things I noticed when I got here. I don’t know about the rest of the U.S., but I know the restaurant business in South Carolina is one of the toughest to survive in. The chains control everything because people decide what they want to eat, and they don’t want any surprises. But in Munich there is literally a different restaurant on every corner.

8.) Kids get more freedom. Munich youth get a lot of freedom to go to the store, to ride the underground alone, go to the movies, or whatever it is these kids are doing these days. I’ve never seen so many young kids doing things alone. Munich is an extremely safe city (safer than Columbia), but I think it’s really good for kids to start getting responsibility like that at a young age. I have this theory that the people who can’t survive on their own after leaving their parent’s house are the people that never got any real responsibility when they were young.

7.) Active Lifestyles. No gyms + no fat people = they’re doing something right. I don’t think I’ve seen a gym since I’ve been here, and I’ve seen very few fat people. In Columbia it seems there’s a gym on every corner, but we’re still having this obesity epidemic. There’s so much to do in and around Munich, and it’s just not part of their culture to sit around and do nothing.

6.) They support higher education! College education in Germany is almost funded 100% by the government. The students only have to pay about $400 a semester, and I’m pretty sure that includes books. If I didn’t have a scholarship, I would be paying about $10,000 a year for college and this would probably be #1 on my Ten Best list.

5.) Fresh Food! For those of you who don’t really know me, I’m not one of those “crazy” health nuts (mainly because as a college student I can’t afford that kind of lifestyle) but I am pretty picky about what I eat. I hate artificial dyes, sweeteners, and preservatives that factories add to all of our food. God designed my body to work with the stuff he makes, not chemicals. In Munich, most of the food is fresh. Germans go grocery shopping several times a week, so all that extra junk isn’t needed.

4.) Dogs! It’s true that a dog is man’s best friend, but in Munich it’s more like a dog is man’s brother. Dogs can go everywhere in Munich: stores, restaurants, the trains, etc. You may think that sounds chaotic, but it’s really not. The dogs are so used to being around lots of people and their manners reflect that.

3.) Munich is a true walking city. If you need a few groceries, there’s a store right down the street or a fresh produce stand on the corner. If you need medicine, there are a thousand Apothekes right outside your door. You don’t need a car to survive in Munich. I walk to get groceries sometimes in Columbia, but it’s not convenient and sometimes not even safe.

2.) Romance. This may sound a little strange, but I love the “PDA” here. It’s not like in the States where the only couples who touch each other in public are the gross couples. Here it’s more like the two really cherish each other and they want everyone else to know it. It makes you say “aww,” not “eww.” A lot of times it seems like American guys are embarrassed to express their love in public. It makes me feel all mushy inside to see all the lovey-dovey couples here.

1.) Public Transportation!!! I can’t stress this enough – the public transportation here is so easy to use and so efficient. If there’s anywhere you want to go in Munich, all you do is look it up on the map and jump on the nearest underground, bus or tram. We have public buses in Columbia, but I wouldn’t ride one unless I was toting my right arm in a bag of ice and it was taking me directly to the hospital. The Cola buses don’t go to very many places; they’re dirty and full of sketchy people. I’ve been so relaxed here not worrying about a car.

Pictures From FC Bayern Match!

Frustrated on the Last Day

By Kelly Enright

Today has been very frustrating. Whitney and I are both departing for the United States of America tomorrow morning, and we had saved today for souvenir shopping and packing. Well, much to our surprise, absolutely everything is closed. Apparently Germany uses every holiday as a vacation day.

Now what are we supposed to do when we arrive home and have nothing to show for it? I purchased a large amount of clothes from H&M, but I don't think that my parents will be able to appreciate the cute dresses as much as I will. And this brings up another issue. Souvenir shopping is stupid. Although people want a gift from whatever country you visit, the only things to really buy are the 'typical' presents from the area, which for Munich are beer steins and mugs. And really, my personal experiences in Munich have not centered around beer, so these gifts are really pointless. But I guess that people just want to know you were thinking about them.

Back to how upset we are. While we walked all along the main shopping area, even the souvenir shops were closed. Wouldn't they benefit the most from all the tourists wandering around trying to find something to do? So now I have ended up at the Internet shop once again, and I found out the closest souvenir place opens at 9:30 tomorrow morning. Now think about this: Whitney's plane leaves first, about 12:45. If we left our hotel at 10 it would put us arriving at the airport at 11, with a little less than two hours to do an international check-in and be ready to board (My plane leaves about 25 minutes after hers). Personally, I plan on calling the shop early in the morning and see if we can come early, but these are the chances we are willing to take to bring our loved ones gifts. So I hope they appreciate it! I know you are thinking, just buy some at the airport. But have you ever looked at the prices there?? I have spent so much money on food in Munich, I will be broke for weeks, surviving off of whatever is leftover in my apartment in Columbia.

So this is where we are right now, and I still haven't even begun to pack. Did I mention that on the way to Germany my bag already weighed 50 pounds? (that is the limit). So what am I supposed to do when I went shopping for another wardrobe?? Thankfully I packed an extra bag. All you readers out there, can you tell I'm stressing?? Today was supposed to be a nice day of wrapping up our trip, and it has turned into nothing good! Additionally, the weather dropped from about 80 degrees yesterday to about 40 today. Grr... Well hopefully I'll have a happier post for later. If not, keep me in your thoughts as I try to make it back to the US, and hopefully I will bring gifts.

Fun at the Salt Mine

By Kelly Enright

Our last German adventure is almost finished. Whitney and I are on a train in the middle of nowhere, or also known as Berchtsgaden, in the Alps of Bavaria. Today we did one of the coolest things I have experienced since coming to Germany. We toured a salt mine. Yes, it may seem silly, but instead it was a highly educational and enjoyable experience. We were even given a “salt present” by our train conductor/tour guide. I know you may not understand yet, but I will give you the details in just a moment.

It all started last night, when we were talking to Tanner. She left for Columbia this morning, but was very insistent on Whitney and I experiencing this salt mine. She passed off her Frommer’s Guide to Germany (this is an honor, she treasured it throughout the trip). So we decided to get online and check it out. Since we only have two days left, we wanted to do something good, and get out of the city.

Well, when we boarded the train this morning, we didn’t know just how far out of the city we’d be heading. Three hours and two trains later, we were in Berchtsgaden, and had no clue where to go. This became a familiar feeling throughout the day, as there were absolutely no directions- for anything. After asking around, we walked the 20 minutes to the mines and purchased our tickets. We saw people walking around wearing these odd outfits, and realized we would look just like them in a few minutes. These were the miner’s clothes that we had to put on- big white pants and awful blue jackets, with a leather butt cover that wrapped around your waist. Whitney and I took plenty of pictures, and I couldn’t help but do the MC Hammer dance. We were pimpin’.

When we made it to the entrance of the mine, we climbed on a train (well if you could call it that, you had to straddle the seat. This is quite awkward when there is a smelly German man sitting in front of you.) We took off at quite an alarming speed for such a contraption, and continued riding through the darkness with a very chilling wind in your face. Once we arrived in the mine, we were told some stuff in German, and then began the “Ok, now in English” part of the tour. At each part of the tour the guide would explain where we were in German, and then announce to everyone that he was going to put on a loudspeaker with the English translation. Then he would leave with the rest of the group, and Whitney, another family, and I were left to listen to the very interesting description of how salt was mined, or catch up with the group.

Miner’s slides are awesome. You sit on these two pieces of wood, lean back and lift your feet, and you’re off! We were very excited to ride on two of these 34 meter long, downhill slides, which are what the miners used to get quickly from one destination to another. Another exciting this we did was ride on a ferry across a lake, which was about 110 meters underground, and is was created by the method the miners use to extract the brine, which is turned into salt. Remember, we are underground for the entire tour, and the tunnels are teeny, just a few inches taller than me (I’m 5’10”) and wide enough for two people.

Keep in mind, this mine has been in use since 1517 and is still in use today. After we left the tour, we rushed to the train station, because we needed to be in Munich by around seven. Well, we had missed the train by not even 10 minutes. Figures. So we went to a pizzeria to get some food and I ordered us a small cheese pizza. What arrived was a small, burnt, nasty piece of what this particular restaurant called pizza. It was only one slice. I was starving, and Whitney and I were forced to eat the very unappetizing piece of “food” we were going to be forced to pay for. In Germany, the restaurants don’t really care if you don’t like what you ordered- you will pay for it anyways.

But, alas! We spotted a girl walking with cotton candy! After a quick investigation, we discovered a very small carnival, and fed our hungry stomachs with a large amount of this wonderful treat. And now here we are, still riding on the train to Munich. After we arrive, smelly and tired, we are going to dinner with Sidel and his wife. His wife arrived this morning, and will stay for the rest of the trip to help out with anything we may need. I am very excited to meet her, but I feel bad because I won’t be very presentable. I guess it’s all part of traveling. I am fighting to stay awake, so forgive me but I must depart. I am sad that Whitney’s and my last adventure is coming to a close. We’ve had a great time in Munich. But, as I keep reminding everyone, “I miss my dog!!!”, and must return home.

Tomorrow will be a day of shopping for souvenirs and packing. Doesn’t that sound like fun. I’ll probably post all about it, so keep checking back!!

Am I Doing it Wrong?

By Whitney Robosson

In Munich, everyone walks. There are people practically filling every square inch of the sidewalk, especially Saturdays, when everyone heads to Marienplatz to shop. There are so many people walking in Munich that even Tanner says getting around on foot is easier in New York City. Well, I’ve never been to NYC myself, but I don’t doubt her for a second. If your greatest fear is hundreds of people shoving their bodies against you over and over again, don’t plan to vacation in Munich.

The walking is not the part I dislike. I walk almost everywhere I go in Columbia because getting my car out of the garage, dealing with my manual transmission, and finding a parking spot 50 feet down the road is too much to handle on most days (oh and by the way – I drive a VW Jetta and there’s pretty much always something wrong with it, so someone needs to work on that. It does go really fast though…). I don’t even mind being poked and prodded and squished by the masses of Germans passing me. The part that drives me insane is that I always seem to be in the direct path of someone walking toward me. If I’m not the one that makes the decision to move, I’ll find myself involved in a full frontal collision with someone ranting in German giving me the death glare (and personally someone could be reading poetry in German and it would still sound beastly).

So I want to know what I’m doing wrong. Apparently the Germans have figured out, because they know to just keep walking. I’m always the one jumping out of the way and the other person is completely oblivious to the fact that we almost became …. I’m not walking on the wrong side of the sidewalk, I’m not walking too slow, and I’m certainly not aiming at my fellow walkers. Why do I keep getting run over? And I’d like the answer to another question: if German A is walking at 2 mph and German B is walking at 4 mph and the are walking toward each other, will they collide?

Changing German universities

Friday I attended a student meeting for Bavaria's largest political party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), with my friend Thomas Uhlen, a friend made during my yearlong study abroad and a CDU member. I went to film for a piece on the changing face of the German university system, which was, of course, discussed at the meeting. Universities in some Bundesländer (German states) have recently implemented tuition fees for the first time in history and, in accordance with the Bologna Process, are making the switch to the Bachelor's-Master's system, shortening years of study by almost half in some cases. The conference was held in a towering former monastery in Kloster-Banz. Other topics of discussion included the need for conservative embrace of innovation, how tuition fees should be applied in cases of study abroad, and what the changes' implications for Fachhochschulen (advanced technical schools) are.

Taking time out for lunch:



A member just elected president for the new year.


Thomas works as a journalist for his CDU branch --
probably why we get along so well!

By Mary Pinckney Waters

Sundays in Munich

By Jenn Ghelardini



During the week Munich is such a busy city, always full of citizens, and tourists. It is hard to manage in the dense crowds. I did not realize how hard it is to manuever through until I tried to go running around five o'clock at night. I could hardly walk through the crowds, let alone run. There are just people everywhere.

This is a stark contrast to what one sees on Sundays in Munich. On Sundays, the streets are empty, and hardly any stores are open. For example, I had to walk past three internet cafe stores before I found one that was open. The German people greatly value thier leisure time, and take advantage of anytime to take off work. I have noticed that there are many religious holidays in the month of May, and that everything closes down for the holidays and the even the Monday afterwards.

I love this aspect of German culture. They work hard, but stop when the clock strikes five o'clock. For the most part, they stop working and take time to enjoy thier lives.

Proust to Bavarian Hospitality!

By Jenn Ghelardini

Whenever anyone uses the phrase "Southern Hospitality" he more than likely is referring to the deep south in America. Interestingly, the saying holds true in Germany. In Bavaria, the southern most state in Germany, it seems the people are just as polite and hospitable as in South Carolina.

I accompanied Maddy and Sarah to interview HFF student Julia, and much to our excitement she turned out to be one of the nicest people I have ever met- anywhere.

She met us at the train station, so we would not get lost on the way to her apartment. When we arrived at her apartment, it was tidied up, and ready for guests. Much to our surprise and enjoyment, it was full of the wonderful aroma of something baking. It turned out Julia had made a homemade apple cake to offer us during the interview.

Julia was already helping us out, just for letting us interview her. It was also so nice of her to invite us into her home, but on top of it all to make us a homemade dessert- she had gone above and beyond! Needless to say, Julia, Maddy, Sarah, and I finished the cake, which was more like an apple pie or strudel, in no time. It was so delicious!!

I feel like the German people I have met on this trip have all gone out of their way to make my friends and I feel welcome. It is so nice to discover how inviting, friendly, and caring people are all over the world. Everywhere I go, I feel as if I'm out with old friends, and I plan to keep in contact with many of the Germans I have met. They truly have turned out to be some of the most genuinely nice people I have ever met.

Thank you Julia, and Germany for making my trip such a great one!

(I'll post the photos soon!!)

Shopping - a form of torture

By Kelly Enright

We only have two more full days in Munich. It`s hard to believe that we`ve already been here for 12 days. I had planned to rent bikes and wander around the city with Tanner and Whitney, but once I had showered I really didn`t feel like getting all nasty and sweaty. So my laziness took over and instead I did what any girl would do with a few free hours: Shop!!

Let me explain to you exactly What I got myself into. We are staying in the center of the city, only a few blocks from Marienplatz, which is the main shopping area. By the time I neared this wonderful area of shopping, I quickly realized that perhaps biking would have been a much less strenuous task. I slowly entered the crowds, only to be shoved, jabbed, and tripped. I am being completely serious. These Germans take their shopping seriously. Now I must add that there are plenty of Americans here, given the amount of stores, and they aren`t the least bit polite either. It feels like it is at least 90 degrees outside, and the sun is angled perfectly to fill up the entire street, there is no escaping its fury. Once again, at least if I had gone biking we would have been in an out of some shade.

Well my main purpose for shopping today was to find a dress that Maddy, another student on our trip, purchased at H & M, a very popular clothing store. After I made it to the correct store and fought my way in, I felt just like I was at a Carolina football game, trying to get in the front gate. Everyone is fighting to make it to the person scanning the tickets. If I tried to pick up a shirt and look at it, someone had to pass in between me and the shirt. Does that make ANY sense? If they would let me continue looking, then maye I would be able to leave faster. But I was on a mission, and the other shoppers were NOT going to get in my way.

I will not continue to explain the hell of my shopping experience, but I did find the dress. Thank goodness. On the way back from this torture I call shopping I spotted a waffle stand. Too bad Whitney had to go bike riding! I am not sure if all you readers out there have read Whitney`s post on craving waffles, but I recommend you do, it is hilarious. So I found this waffle stand, and our course I had to stop. The waffle was amazing. Freshly cooked and topped with powdered sugar. Delicious!!

As I sit in the Telephone-Internet shop, I am reviewing the events of this afternoon. And I have come to the conclusion that I am not lazy, because I participated in what feels like a Triathalon. I am just as sweaty as the bikers are, I am sure of it. And as I have mentioned before, there is no AC anywhere. So I will not cool down until I take a cold shower. Bummer. I cannot imagine everytime I went shopping on the weekend in Munich to be worse than the day after Thanksgiving. But I found my dress, so it is all worth it.

Ahh, one little thing I noticed: After I stopped by McDonalds for lunch I bought a copy of USA Today at a newsstand. Now I can tell I miss the states, because if I was at home, I would never have done such a thing. So, as I mentioned, I have two more full days in Munich. I hope I experience some more exciting things to update all you readers out there!!!

European Business in SC

By Kelly Enright

Another day in Munich always means more wonderful chances for the group to learn more about Germany and its relation to the United States. Today we were lucky enough to have a meeting with John Stilwell, who is the assistant director for the State of South Carolina European Business Office. I believe that is the official title. Anyways, we met him at his office in the Business Plaza of Maxvorstadt, ready to hear exactly how he was connected to SC.

First thing that we all noticed in the meeting room was one thing: air conditioning. Let me inform all of you SC readers out there; Munich does not have air conditioning. They don’t really need it, but as we have experienced these past two weeks, this has been an unusually warm May. So after we trudged all the way to Mr. Stilwell’s office and discovered a little portable AC unit, we were very excited and appreciative. Mr. Stillwell was born and raised in Oregon, and has lived in Germany for 20 years. For the last seven, he has worked for the beautiful State of South Carolina. If I understand correctly, it is his job to help find European businesses that want to open up shop in the US, and push them towards South Carolina. He acts as a project manager and helps the company with many aspects of the globalization process.

Through our meeting, we learned there are 136,000 South Carolinians employed by international companies, which is the highest percentage of total private employment by international companies in the US. That means Mr. Stilwell and his predecessors have obviously been doing their job. Also because Southerners are the best of the best. We just can’t help it!

Companies such as BMW, INA USA Corp and Siemens are among the top German companies providing jobs in SC. Mr. Stilwell informed us SC has four offices helping to bring international business to the state. They are in Munich, Tokyo, Shanghai, and the most recent in Toronto. I find it very interesting that our state has employed people to bring business. But he explained it like this. If the US government found out there was a company that wanted to branch out, and they recommended Alabama, every one of the other 49 states would flip out and want to know why they weren’t chosen. Therefore, each state publicizes itself individually. It was very interesting to meet with someone who is representing our state all the way across the globe. But it was definitely a nice piece of home.
So for those of you reading this in the states, just think. Out there somewhere, people are representing your state, trying to bring business to your area and eventually, more jobs and property taxes paid. So thank your individual state, because they are working hard for their people. So be proud!


P.S. for a small side-note, I forgot to mention a small golf store that Sidel pointed out to a few of us the other day. We were walking to the local American Express to exchange some money, and we all stopped. In the windows, on floor to ceiling posters, were pictures of a gorgeous South Carolina golf course with the typical phrase “Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places”!! Ahh!! How weird! Can you believe that there is a huge picture of SC with our state phrase on it in the middle of Germany? Well neither could we. But that is just one more way that SC is helping to promote itself. So the next time you travel to, perhaps, the very tip of Antarctica, you’d better watch out because there may be a little man with a sign saying “SC weather is hot! No abominable snowmen there!” or something along those lines. I’m just trying to say that we always knew South Carolinians are awesome, this just confirms it. And if you are reading this posting, then you should feel lucky. Because I am from South Carolina, and I’m a big deal.

Cultural Differences, Part 2

By Kelly Enright

As Tanner, Whitney and I were riding on the train to Neuschwanstein yesterday, we decided to update our list on some cultural differences between Germany and the United States. Here they are:

1.PDA’s: Anywhere we have walked in Munich, we see couples hanging onto each other, kissing, and basically letting everyone in the vicinity know they have feelings for each other. Although we have some people that do this in the states, because porn and sex are not as widely accepted, people tend to be a bit more conservative. But not here. I can’t help but be a little embarrassed as the couples play tongue hockey and seem to be cuffed to the belt loop on the other side of their significant other. They just can’t seem to let go, but nobody seems to care very much. This is just a small difference but it is there.

2.Honesty: Germans expect honesty out of everyone. They will leave bicycles lying around, leave windows and doors wide open, and we even learned on our bike tour that if they find something someone left somewhere, they will usually put it in a place the person can find it if they come looking. This is not so true in the states. We are all very suspicious, and I cannot imagine EVER leaving my front door open and unlocked. It is just not something I was raised to do, and I would not be comfortable. People steal all the time, and honesty definitely does not seem to be everyone’s policy. Now I’m not trying to bash Americans, but all of us know that one person can ruin an entire community’s trust.

3.Smoking: Everyone smokes. Everywhere. I haven’t been able to escape it. When Whitney and I venture off to find restaurants, the ones we usually end up eating at are empty. And this is because we just want to escape the smoke. Isn’t there enough pollution already, why can’t I just breathe the small amount of oxygen left for my lungs? People seem to smoke before, during and after meals. And every other second of the day. I don’t understand it because I don’t smoke, but why can’t you just chew gum? And if someone isn’t smoking, maybe it is because they don’t like the smell of smoke. Maybe you shouldn’t smoke next to them, because if they did like the smoke, they’d probably be SMOKING. Duh. So if everyone would just stop smoking I would be happy. But that doesn’t look like it will occur in the near future. So I will continue to rant in circles. And to make nasty faces at all you smokers.

4.Large People: The majority of people in Germany are of a healthy, proportionate body size. They are not obese, and I have only seen a few people that are overweight. This may have many factors. The immense amount of walking in addition to the healthier diet probably does wonders for the body. Perhaps everyone who says diets don’t work should move to Europe and try changing their lifestyle. Just an idea.

5.Air Conditioning: I’m a very cold-natured person, so I usually gripe about the AC. But these past two weeks have changed that opinion very quickly. I love the outside, and having windows open all the time allows the fresh air in. But when it is ninety degrees outside, the air is not so friendly. It attacks your lungs and smothers the pores in your skin. You simply feel like you are drowning in your own sweat. And sleeping? Not a chance. Imagine walking into the telephone store I have been frequenting and sitting inside a teeny little booth with a door. I called my boyfriend on his birthday and could only speak to him for 4 minutes because I thought I was going to fall over with heat stroke. Literally. So air conditioning isn’t so bad. And life in SC without it would be no life at all. We would look like the surface of Mars, I’m sure. Human life would not exist within our state lines from May through August.

6. International Politics: The German people seem to be very aware of what is going on in the world. They know much more about international politics than I could ever dream of, and I’ve even been in conversations with Germans that know more about the possible presidential candidates than I do. And I live in the US. One person put it into perspective for me, and if I remember correctly it is Mario, who is helping us with the exchange with HFF (film university in Munich). He said that Germans are so aware because they have to be. Whoever becomes the next US president will dictate how many countries react to us because of the war, and even the economy could be affected. The US is such a strong worldwide power, and political changes affect everyone around us.

Alright, that’s all for now. I’m sure I’ll more to update you with soon, as you can probably tell I’m rather observant and entertained by the differences surrounding me!!

I Just Want a Waffle!

By Whitney Robosson

I just want to apologize to my German friends in advance. This is a beautiful country, the people are so friendly, and you guys just know how to get things done. But if I have to eat one more piece of pork I’m going to stage a food coup and completely take over the restaurant industry in Munich. (Except the pretzel places – you can keep doing your thing because I would have starved by now if it wasn’t for you).

Maybe it’s because I grew up in America where "variety is the spice of life," but it just seems like everything tastes the same. It’s all very heavy, usually pretty greasy, and I don’t even know what food group half the stuff falls in. And I can’t read the menus, so it’s like every night I’m ordering the mystery dish. Actually, that’s a lie. I at least know it’s going to be pork. Pork with potatoes. Pork with dumplings. Pork on bread. Fried pork on a stick. Pork pizza. Pork mixed with pork, sprinkled with a pork garnish. Pork, pork, pork, pork, pork.

I just want a waffle! I’ve wanted a waffle ever since I smelled my first German meal. It really doesn’t make sense because I rarely eat waffles at home. A waffle is pretty much the opposite of the average “main course” served in the restaurants I’ve been to in Germany – light, fluffy, sweet. I’m so afraid I sound ignorant and offensive right now. I know I’ve only been here for two weeks and I haven’t tried a lot of food outside of Munich. Also, I do have to give props to the German way of cooking, because everything is FRESH. Germans go grocery shopping multiple times a week so food doesn’t need all the preservatives and additives (unlike American food).

Imagine a waffle cooked in Germany! It would be so much better than the frozen stuff I get back home. Mountains of fresh strawberries, drizzled with a little bit of fresh squeezed strawberry juice, topped with a dab of whipped cream, all on top of a freshly baked waffle. Well today I saw that waffle. Kelly and I were roaming around random parts of Munich when we decided to get a bite to eat at a chicken place (which is rare because Germans don’t eat a lot of chicken like we do). It was way after lunchtime, so the restaurant was practically deserted. Since this was one of the few times I’ve seen chicken on a menu, I decided to order it.

Not even two seconds later, Kelly reached over to another table where they had a tiny menu called “strawberry time” (at least that’s what Kelly said, I can’t read German). The very first item listed was a fresh strawberry waffle. Kelly and I jumped up and raced back to the kitchen so I could get our server to change my order. Although he had just written it down on a scrap of paper and handed it to the cook, he refused. He said it was “already being cooked.” I think he meant already spinning in the microwave, because the chicken I ordered was lukewarm and covered in grease. I was so upset! I had finally found my waffle (after Mario and Melina had told me they had no clue where I could find a waffle) and the guy wouldn’t even let me order it.

Everyone on this trip with me is probably sick and tired of me talking about waffles, so I just want you to know that it ends here. I won’t mention a waffle again. But if anyone knows where I can get a waffle in Munich, don’t hesitate to comment on my blog.

Our Little Phone Shop

By Whitney Robosson

All the workers know who we are. We walk in and they smile, almost as if they knew we’d be coming in soon. We don’t have to ask questions because we know how everything works. You pick a booth (mine happens to be #8), make yourself comfortable at the stool, and then dial the number. Instant connection and there’s absolutely no static to deal with. This is our little phone shop, and I don’t know how most of us would have survived without it.

Ever since I made it to Germany, I’ve carried my little pink cell phone with me everywhere. It doesn’t matter if I’m just walking down the street or taking a train to a town an hour away from Munich, I MUST have my cell phone. It’s not like I can use it while I’m here – my dad would have to take a second mortgage out on the house to pay the bill. But I’ve never lived life without a cell phone. Everybody knows my generation is all about instant connection.

So you can imagine my frustration when I realized communicating with people in the States was nearly impossible when I first arrived. There is a computer with free internet access in our hotel lobby, but what do you expect me to do? Send an e-mail? Don’t make me laugh – that takes way too long. I needed my instant communication fix, and I needed it fast.

It took us a few days to notice the telephone place (which is right around the corner from our hotel), but once we did we were hooked. As I said before, the workers know who we are and welcome us in every evening. It’s not terribly expensive, and it gives me time to relax knowing that I don’t have to worry about the hotel’s internet connection kicking me off or May’s Cingular bill. So thank you little telephone shop, and I’ll see you tonight!

Neuschwanstein - The Princess Castle

By Kelly Enright

All hail! We have arrived back from our royal castle visit! Haha, today Tanner, Whitney and I visited one of the most well-known German tourist sites, the Neuschwanstein Castle. It was built by the mad King Ludwig and sits on the top of one of the Allgaeu mountains in southern Germany. Most of us would know of it because the Cinderella’s castle in Disney World was designed to mimic this beautiful castle.

As we have started each of our wonderful German adventures, we navigated the public transportation system, and after two long hours on trains we made it to the small town where we purchased our tickets, and you could glimpse the castle from below. Now let me give you all a little background on Dr. Tanner, one of our professors with us on this trip. She wakes up every morning, no matter what the temperature or weather, and she runs. Even while in Germany, she runs. What I’m trying to get across is that she is in great shape. As for me, I walk my dog. And move the mouse as I stalk people on Facebook. It’s great exercise, I know. So when Tanner wanted to hike up to the castle, I was reluctant but willing. I didn’t want to be the one to be lazy and I also wanted to see the scenery. It’s not everyday you get to see a famous castle!

So the map said the hike was 45 minutes. And it is competely uphill. I’m not talking a very slight hill you can’t really tell is a hill. It appeared to me like the German version of Everest. And Tanner, the avid little runner she is, started off fast and hard. Whitney and I, well we weren’t quite prepared. Whitney has asthma, and I used to (well I still may after today!), and as soon as we began our mountain climbing, we were both huffin’ and puffin’.

Neither one of us really wanted to complain, but we noticed that we were passing every other person walking up to the castle with us. And there is no slowing down Tanner. When there was a fork in the path and you could take some stairs or a long, drawn out uphill trail, guess which one Tanner chose? Oh you bet, the hard one. However, the stairs were enough for me. Now after all this hard work (breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth), we finally reached the top. And guess how many minutes it took us to reach the top? 20. Not one minute more. Yes, all you readers out there, because of Tanner, we reached the castle in less than half the time we should have. She is a BEAST.

Well my body sure was feeling it, and IT definitely wasn’t pleasant. I plan on posting the picture I took of my face when I got to the top. That one is quite entertaining. And guess what else? Tanner wanted to walk around for the 40 minutes before our tour!! Oh heck no, I said, I’m finding a shady little spot and sitting my tired rear-end down. And that is just what I did.

When it came time for the tour, we were corralled in with the rest of the English-speaking group up what seemed like a never-ending flight of twirly stairs. When we reached the top, we entered a room and met our tour guide. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I know introduce you to the human robot. You know that voice you hear everytime you call a large company and you have to listen to a recording? Well here she is, in person!!

We walked through the castle, which is beautiful, but it is hard to believe the furnishing and wall paintings are original! King Ludwig never completed it, but what was completed is phenomenal. Above his bed and throughout the room are sculptures that were caved out of wood and took 14 woodcarvers 4 years to finish. That’s a lot of work! However, being inside seems to take away the wow-factor. Maybe since I have seen a good number of other castles in Germany, they all look a bit the same. Flashy decorations and old furniture. Neuschwanstein has such a force that surrounds it, and you can’t help but be amazed when looking at it. Everyone knows it, and seeing it for real is makes you feel the “magic”.

After the castle tour was over and we were herded out, we decided to take a smaller path back down because we wanted to get some good pictures. So we took this steep (of course, since we were with Tanner it had to be a challenge!) path that first came to a waterfall. We continued walking, following this raging river, and soon the path became a metal contraption that jutted out from huge boulders and went directly over the raging river, full of fury. Keep in mind, the furious river is filled with rocks and waterfalls, and it looks very cold. Did I mention that this metal walk thing was steep. Very steep. But somehow we made it. I think Tanner made me walk first in case something broke. That way I’d be the victim. And if someone had to be the rescuer, doesn’t it sound like she’d be the best one?

Somehow we made it down the mountain also, and to a restaurant before it began to rain. We ordered some wonderful German food (that sounds like an oxymoron to me, because a lot of the German food has been, well, let’s just call it ‘different”). Alert: cute waiter! Alert: cute waiter! After a long, tiring day, my body was screaming for food. And as soon as I began to eat, I could feel the energy being delivered to the muscles in my body I hadn’t worked before. They had been starved of exercise for a very, very long time.

So this makes up another successful German adventure. Mission accomplished. All in all, the trip was wonderful, and although it was a very touristy thing to do, the castle was beautiful and we had a great time(minus the extreme hiking).

One more little thing to add; the Neuschwanstein castle is in the running to be one of the ‘New 7 wonders of the world”. I fully support Germany in their choice to represent their country, and I believe every one of you out there needs to visit the website and vote for Neuschwanstein. Even if you’ve never been there, you have probably been to Disney World. It must be a pretty cool castle if us Americans have to make a copy of it! So I am going to list the website in a moment, and I fully expect all of you to vote. So there. Just go vote.

www.worldwonder-neuschwanstein.com

Halfway Through

By Kelly Enright

Alright y’all, we are halfway through with our class. Technically we aren’t meeting in the bomb shelter everyday (oh, I mean the Coliseum), but we are putting our brains to work in Munich. I feel like I am living a miniature study abroad; instead of coming for a year, it has been condensed into only 2 weeks. We arrived and experienced the welcoming from our host university, Hochschule fur Filmsehen und Film (HFF), and participated in a few fun touristy activities. Then we started getting comfortable in our surroundings, and began our hard work our projects. Now we are wrapping up and preparing to put the finishing touches on many things, and beginning to realize we depart the fine country of Germany in less than a week.

In addition, to reaching the ‘stages’ of study abroad more quickly than a long-term study abroad, we have also gone through the emotional stages faster, such as excitement, nervousness, comfort, and sadness to leave. However, since I do not believe I’d be able to survive a long-term study abroad, this class is perfect for me. I have been able to come to a foreign country and experience many aspects of the culture, in addition to working with a local university. I have also had the comfort of having people I know around, and even spoken a good bit of German (well it is my minor, I might as well put all that work to good use!). When the end of my trip comes, I will be sad to leave, but also relieved to return to my life as a spoiled American. I have realized how much we really take for granted with each passing day. I know it may seem repetitive in our blogs when we continuously write about all the differences, but isn’t that the point?

To me, the study abroad experience is all about just that, experience. Putting yourself in a new environment and learning everything you can about it. I am so glad that I have been able to spend time in Germany, and feel it has really opened my eyes to many things, but especially other cultures. In reality, Germans really are humans, just like Americans, but they just do things differently. It is learning to compromise these differences that is such a challenge for everyone, but I feel it is only an opportunity for learning. I will go back to USC with a newfound appreciation for other cultures, students, educational opportunities, and most importantly, I feel I will be a better communicator for mass media.

Tour Time - Biker Style

By Kelly Enright

“The wheels on the bus go round and round…” is the song that came to my head as I thought about the bike tour that Dr. Tanner, Whitney and I were about to embark upon. (Just a note: We’ve been calling Dr.’s Sidel and Tanner just by their last names so if I refer to them as such, don’t be surprised). After not waking up until the exact minute we were supposed to be leaving, I rushed around to get ready, only to find out that Tanner wasn’t quite ready either! We eventually made it to the meeting place in time only to meet Lenny, our very enthusiastic, opinionated and entertaining American tour guide.

After getting our bikes, and a lesson on how to ride in Germany, we were off. A few of the tips included trying to remember how to use the brake where you push the pedal backwards (that was first grade, right?), making sure to stay in a single file line (there were about 30 of us) and being constantly prepped for the Biergarten (beer house/restaurant) that we would be stopping at for lunch. In Germany, bikes are not granted right-of-way on the street, and I experienced this within seconds of take off. The cars whiz around you, as do the pedestrians, and the most stressful part of the trip proved to be paying attention to every car, tram, person, and even dog that was within 30 feet of me. Considering there were 1000-year-old buildings, cute German boys, and other bikes around me, this proved to be quite a challenge.

Throughout the trip Lenny told us historical facts with the few interjected smart-aleck remarks to keep us entertained. Our first stop was the famous English Gardens. If you’ve read my previous blog posts, I had quite the experience there last week. Lenny stopped the tour at the end of the “nude quarter”, (of course, right? Like I didn’t have a good enough ‘view’ last time I was there!). Anyways, Lenny described one certain naked-man that usually meets his bike group every morning. Apparently he likes to pose right by the group and even takes pictures. This sounds hauntingly familiar to the man that I witnessed “flopping” around, showing himself off for all to see. Unfortunately (well, I thought we were pretty fortunate), our friendly fella wasn’t there today. But as Tanner and Whitney hadn’t experienced the nakedness yet, the tour continued by biking through this nude quarter. Maybe someone is trying to tell me something about this topic, because I can’t seem to escape it!

After that excitement, it was time for lunch. We stopped at the Biergarten, where most of the group on the trip got at least one of the liter beers the guide continuously talked about. We all regrouped and set off for the river surfers. This is one of the coolest things I’ve seen since being in Munich. On a small river in the middle of the city, about 20-30 feet wide, there was a random spot where the water dipped down and then rose to a crest, just like waves do at the beach. There were surfers here all decked out in their wetsuits and with surfboards, of course. They proceeded to jump onto the wave and go back and forth until they wiped out. It was so fun to watch, and since it was right in the center of the city, quite a random sighting. This is a very dangerous activity, and is not “allowed”, but of course they do it anyways. After this, we continued biking to other sites of interest, until we arrived back at our destination. This weather was perfect, sunny but with a slight breeze. It was a huge plus that the tour was technically “free”. Yes, readers out there in internet world, I said the f-word. FREE!! The only cost is an optional tip to the tour guide. He operates his business completely on tips, and I think this is part of why it was so enjoyable. You really could tell that he enjoyed what he did, and he kept everyone interested on what could potentially be a boring bike trip. And considering he catered mostly to college students, I’d say he has a very successful business going! However, Whitney and I both discovered something else free that we weren’t so happy about. That little thing called sunburn. While I had sunscreen on my face, there is that beautiful little line at the top of my forehead where I didn’t quite reach, so I have a little racing stripe of my own. Whitney looks like our own little farmer girl with her tank-top pattern. But it’s all in good fun. Except for when you go to the local pharmacy and they don’t know the word Aloe. We learned our lesson, and as Whitney put it, “Man, that German sun is intense.”

If you ever come to Munich, we recommend Discover Munich Bike Tours. Visit their website at Discovermunich.net.

Time to Think = Homesickness

By Whitney Robosson

We stepped off the boat into what seemed like another world. Mario, Frauke, Dr. Sidel, Dr. Tanner, and I were in the quaint little town of Chiemsee, which sits next to the Chiemsee lake. The Fraueninsel, and island that is part of the town of Chiemsee, is home to a monastery that was built in the 9th century. Everything was very peaceful. The contrast of colors was perfect; the lush green landscape, the midnight-blue lake dotted with dozens of tiny white sailboats, the snow-covered peaks of the Bavarian Alps. The atmosphere screamed serenity, but I didn’t feel calm at all, not even a little bit happy.

Why, in all of this wonderfulness, could I only think about how much I miss being home? Not only did I miss my family and friends, but I was getting depressed because I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I missed them! Every time I saw another cute little German house or a group of little boys pushing their sailboat out into the water I thought about how much my family would love to be there, experiencing just what I was. It’s almost like I was feeling selfish because it finally hit me that Wow, I’m in Europe, and no one else in my family has ever had the opportunity.

All throughout the afternoon I couldn’t shake the bad feeling I had. And it just it kept layering on. I ran out of cash, so I felt insecure and I was even sunburned through my jeans, (I know, it’s crazy) and it was stinging. My contacts were sticking to my eyelids. And I really didn’t want Mario, one of our hosts, to think he was showing us a horrible time because the trip really was amazing. I just wanted to escape from my own brain because I was cycling bad thoughts over and over again. I tried to sleep on the boat and the train on our way back to the Munich city center, but every time I opened my eyes there were people staring at me. I don’t know, maybe I was drooling or something. I was so disappointed in my attitude I just wanted to scream.

As soon as I stepped off the train into the cigarette smoke and brake-dust filled air, I felt like I could finally breathe again. I had wonderful, beautiful, glorious distractions from my own thoughts. I had to find an ATM, consider what I wanted for dinner, edit video, work on my blog posts, figure out what my source of internet was going to be that night, clean my hotel room, and work on plans for the rest of the week. I couldn’t think about the badness anymore because I had stuff to take care of. As soon as I got back into the city center I felt great again, and I haven’t been homesick since.

The trip to Chiemsee was the first time I’ve been able to relax and have some time for deep thinking. I’ll never do that again! I’m not going to let anything spoil my experience in Germany, even if it means I can’t relax until the plane ride home.

Rallying in Marienplatz

The other day as Jenn and I were walking through the Marienplatz to grab dinner, we heard a loud, microphone-filtered voice coming from the center of a crowded circle. We stopped to scope out the scene, which included a single mic being passed between opinion-holders whose points were beat home by a drummer behind them. Pamphlets and bulletin boards informed the public about the rally's point of discussion: to change Hartz IV labor reforms which they believe have caused a growing gap in economic classes. One sign read, "The rich are becoming richer, the poor poorer." Other flyers stressed statistics on low-paying jobs and over-dependence on social welfare. One speaker said they hoped allowing a free flow of ideas around these issues would help find a solution. Jenn and I found the rally interesting because its concerns are so often associated with the United States and often thought to escape European systems.




By Mary Pinckney Waters

Get off the tour bus!

By Whitney Robosson

Sometimes it seems that travelers are incapable of going anywhere without being a “tourist.” There’s nothing wrong with being a tourist as in someone who visits places away from home for pleasure. Everyone needs a vacation every once in a while. But it bothers me that people allow themselves to be sucked in by the highly advertised, flashy (and usually motorized) attractions. Then they buy a magnet or keychain in the gift shop so they can say, “Hey, I’ve been there!” But what are they really experiencing? I say take the flashy tour if you want to, but then try to get lost. Literally just start walking and see what you can find. If you’re in a foreign country, try to find an area where no one speaks English.

If that scares you a little, it’s completely understandable. I would never leave Munich to “get lost” because I have absolutely no understanding of navigating the German countryside. That’s just not very intelligent, especially because I don’t speak any German. At least try to get away from the main part of the city. For example, the city of Munich revolves around this one church. Right around the church are hundreds of shops, restaurants, bars, museums, etc. Many of the Germans who live and work in this area are almost required to know English because there are so many American tourists But right beyond the central city are small neighborhoods where the people speak little to no English and go about their daily lives.

To get away from the hectic city center, Kelly and I set plans to go to the zoo. We both love zoos, so we were very excited to see the animals. However, I felt a little weary that maybe this isn’t the best use of my time while in Germany. Zoo animals are the same everywhere, right? I was pleasantly surprised. Although the animals were the same, the zoo was definitely different. I’m not going to go in detail (please read Kelly’s blog and check out our video), but I felt like I was doing something that I was interested in without being smothered by tourists. The zoo is something the people of Munich enjoy, not the masses “just stopping in.” There were people riding bikes, playing on playgrounds, walking dogs, pushing strollers –- just being themselves. It was the first time on this whole trip that I didn’t feel like an outsider looking in.

German film school

By Whitney Robosson

Film students –- they are certainly a different breed. And believe me, I know. My twin sister is a film student at USC. They’re funny, random and always have a camera in your face trying to capture whatever it is they capture. But every time I see one of my sister’s films, I can’t help but to laugh a little bit. Her ideas are really good and the camera composition is amazing, but the resources that most college students have really limit the quality of their art. No matter how great a movie is, we’re not going to take it seriously if it looks like a home video. (No, "The Blair Witch Project" doesn’t count; that wasn’t a great movie.)

Well, the film students at HFF Munich, the film and television university that's hosting our exchange, have it all figured out.And it’s not even fair to call them film students. They are film MASTERS.

One day while we were attending a lecture at the school, we had the privilege of watching the single best student film I have ever seen. I would have paid money to see this film. Every aspect of it was superb –- the lighting, the camera work, the scenery, the character development, the story line. And as the film went on, it kept getting better and better. I was so drawn in that I didn’t want it to end. After the film was over and the lights came back on, Michaela Kezele (the student) came over to ask us what we thought. I was honestly speechless. The only response I had was to close my gaping mouth. I couldn’t believe I had just seen a student’s film.

But as she told us the process she went through to make this film, I couldn’t help but to think, “Do they make these incredible student films because they have more talent than the film students I know, or is it because they have more resources to showcase their talent?”

HFF is an incredibly unique school as far as American standards go. Most HFF students have undergraduate degrees, but it is not required to get into the school. Most students are older than traditional American college students (22 to 26), but some start the program right after high school. Everyone (including the most inexperienced students) has access to top-notch cameras, lighting and other equipment. HFF even has its own in-house professional sound person!

If you think that’s something special, you’re in for an even bigger surprise. HFF is a public school, but it is a specialized public school with dozens of extremely qualified professors and very expensive equipment. Tuition must be a beast! Try €300 a semester. That’s $404.75! The public colleges in Germany are almost completely funded by the government. Can you imagine that in America? Almost everyone would have the opportunity to go to college! Parents wouldn’t have the burden of dipping into their retirement fund to pay for their kid’s education. Students who work three jobs and go to school full-time might actually have the chance to take a nap every once in a while. That’s one less thing the students at HFF have to worry about, and who knows how much that improves their work. And if this low tuition thing is making you excited, get ready to pee in your pants.

Before the students can graduate, they have to produce four films. It’s not enough that they have all the equipment they’ll ever need to create stuff that wins Oscars. The school actually gives them thousands of dollars to hire their actors and crew, make costumes and sets, and cover all the other expenses that come along with making great films. Here’s how it pans out:

first year: Students get €5,000.
second year: Students get €7,000.
third year: Students get €9,000.
fourth year: Students get €10,000+! That means if they run out, they can get more.

Many of you are probably reading this and feeling pretty jealous, or possibly thinking, “Whitney is a dirty liar.” Go ahead, look it up. But to all the American film students out there: don’t feel bad when you hear of German film students winning Oscars and realizing their dreams. It’s not your fault that American culture doesn’t support higher education. It’s not your fault that no one appreciates your art. But I say do something about it and move to Germany.

Sarah's first report

Dr. Tanner interviews Sarah after she reports
from the highest mountain in Germany.

Advertising at HFF Munich

By Jenn Ghelardini

A few days ago we were fortunate enough to talk with a student involved in the HFF advertising program.

Christoph is an HFF student currently working on his final (fourth) film for the school. He is also enrolled in the school’s one-semester advertising concentration.

Students at HFF have the opportunity to produce full-length film commercials for corporations at a fraction of the cost of an agency. This is only possible with the understanding that the student has total freedom in its design and is his own DOP (director of photography). The student may choose to hire actors, editors and/or animation artists to assist in the commercial production.

The program that prepares students, like Christoph, in the field of advertising consists of a full semester of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. classes that focus on a different subject daily. The students start learning about the history of commercials and the industry’s progression. They study the differences in commercials from around the world, as well as the contrast between the commercials of former East and West Germany. The class emphasizes and reviews award-winning commercials. In addition to film commercials, the school also focuses on the persuasive language of advertisements, through studying radio ads and honing in on the power of sound itself. The students are encouraged to think creatively and are not drilled on the principles of marketing and business. The main emphasis of the course is on theory and ideas, since the students are already technically very advanced. Christoph summed up the principle: “Your idea has to be unique for the product; if you can switch out the product, then the idea is not very good.”

The school focuses on teaching students to produce award-winning commercials, with the intention of earning a prize so that they will gain recognition in the industry and be able to secure a strong job after graduation.

G. Love and the Special Sauce

By Jenn Ghelardini

G. Love and the Special Sauce is a rock band from the States that incorporates aspects of jazz, improvisation and hip-hop music. I have seen them put on a very good show in America before and was ecstatic to see them again in Munich.

The concert was in a small venue outside of the city called Back Stage. It was a large warehouse-like building split into about five smaller bars. It was quite similar to Asheville’s The Orange Peel.

I was expecting to run into some Americans, since it was an American concert. However, this was not the case and I only ran into Germans. In fact everyone I encountered lived in the Munich area. This is not always the case in America, where many people travel great distances to catch a great show.

Another point worth noting is that while at an American G. Love concert everyone is usually very friendly and will let you just walk up to the stage, this is not the case in Germany. In accordance with the stereotype that Germans are uptight about rules and regulations, the Germans strictly adhered to the first-come, first-serve principle, that the first people to get to the show got the best seats. I noticed one man went to the restroom and complained when he was not easily allowed back to his exact original position.

Overall, I love concerts, regardless of location, although I prefer the much more friendly and relaxed settings typical in America.

Around the city

Walking around the city can set your eyes
at awe and your neck at a 90-degree angle. Check
out a few shots of Munich's stunning architecture.










By Mary Pinckney Waters