I went to the NPD (Neo-Nazi) demonstration on Saturday (click on the pic to make it bigger), and while I didn't see any real crazy stuff going on per se, it was still a really strange feeling to actually be witnessing and in a way participating in something like that. I mean, I've always rolled my eyes when people tell me that Germany is where the Nazis live...but as I learned that Saturday, there definitely are still Nazis here, and not just five or six of them!

At the demonstration, there were probably no more than 50 or 60 NPD members, but as you can see in the picture, there were CRAZY amounts of police--I heard there were 4,000 there, which I'm pretty sure is an exaggeration, but there were definitely policemen dispersed all throughout the city. The police were also (understandibly) hyper-sensitive, so that if any protestors did something like throw a bottle at the demonstration, a group of the police would break off and chase that person down, tackling him and arresting him--I saw that happen several times, which was pretty unsettling. I also heard on the news that protestors set cars and dumpsters on fire, and there were also a few big fights--luckily I missed all of that!

Anyway, that is my summary of what the demonstration was like. I'm glad I went, despite the warning from my advisor--when else will I get the experience to see something like that? Hopefully not any time soon....

An email from my advisor I got today:

Dear Students,

Just read in the paper that this Saturday, Oct. 29 from 12.00 noon to 7:00
p.m the Neonazis(NPD) got permission from the court in Lueneburg to
demonstrate in Goettingen. This unfortunate decision is a high potential
for violence because the alternative left will have a counter
demonstration.

I strongly recommend not to go downtown during the demonstration period,
otherwise the risk of getting hurt is too high. Please consult EAP's
safety notes in our orientation handbook (p. 27) and EAP general health
and safety information under eap.ucop.edu. EAP does not want UC
students getting involved in demonstrations in the host country. Even if
you are curious and just want to watch the demonstration, I urge you to
stay away. For your own sake please take this warning serious.

Have a nice weekend and take a hike through the beautiful woods. The
weather might change soon and the foliage will be gone fast.

Elke

This email is an example of what separates the experience in Germany from studying abroad in any other country. Pretty crazy, huh?

Ok, I'm a wuss (sp?) and dropped the class where I'm the only American. I should have read all your encouraging support earlier in the week, it might have convinced me to stay, haha! But I was really busy this week, and didn't check my blog until today, when it's too late. But oh well. I figure I will be braver next semester.

BUT right now I'm signed up for six classes--30 units!! The minimum is 18, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to drop one class, just because it's going to kill me. My assignment this weekend: read for classes like crazy, and figure out which class to drop (perhaps the one with the most reading?)!

This is so cool! Rome is the place to be if you're an animal lover!

I'd say the only minor problem is, as the article states, "It is not yet clear how the rules will be enforced, as pets will remain unaware of their newly-acquired rights."

The stress begins...NOW!
So, second week of classes, and so much to decide! Do I want to stay in this class, because it will probably count for my major? Or should I give in to my shy tendencies, and drop it because I'm the only American in the class?
Should I do the oral presentation with other German students, or should I once again give in, and just turn in a written essay?
So far, my classes have been interesting, but very intimidating! I've heard it gets better, though, in terms of understanding what's going on, and I've also heard that the teachers are more lenient towards exchange students. I just have to remember to keep doing my yoga breathing!

I had a lot of fun tonight--I felt left out at first, because it looked like a lot of people on my floor were eating dinner together, and no one had told me about it. But when I walked by their table to go to my room, one of the people I'd already met, a guy from Spain named Manu, invited me to sit down and join them.

It turned out that the French exchange students who recently moved in were making delicious crepes for everyone, so I got to meet one of the girls from France, and then we ended up passing around a teddy bear that Manu had brought with him (not sure why), and everyone had to sing a children's song from their country and make the teddy bear dance to it! It was so random, but it was really fun too, because there were people at the table from Germany, Spain, America, Japan, France, and Poland!

Definitely a nice ending to the weekend.

Haha--so maybe I should learn not to take everything my teachers say literally. Apparently the story I have to read is only 36 pages--he was just trying to scare us by saying it was 70 pages! Oh, the bizarre German sense of humor....

I'm taking a class on Thomas Mann, and for our first homework assignment (due in a week), we have to read "Der kleine Herr Friedemann," a "short" story by Mann--it's actually 73 pages! And we are going to be assigned at least one short story a week!!
I guess it's starting to hit home that classes have started...and that they assign a freakin' huge amount of reading for lit classes!

I should totally be sleeping right now, but I just wanted to post this relatively funny thing I did.

You type in "[your name] needs" on google and see the top five results that come up:

1.Kate needs better keyboard usability (boring)
2.Kate needs to trust Angel (courtesy of Buffy)
3.Kate needs knits! And beads and stamps and....[trails off] (can't say that I do)
4.Kate needs a shave (very true)
5.Kate needs a priest (don't know about that one)

So...yet another fun and exciting activity if you have too much free time! :)

I've already complained to Dylan about this too much, but I'm gonna say it again: Mosquito bites SUCK! Especially when you have six on your face, like me. Of course this happens just in time for the first week of classes, when I need to make a good first impression. And I have three bites on my left hand and three on my right.

That's what you get when you leave the window open a crack because you think it's too cold outside for bugs, and then they come get you in your sleep!

COLLEEN (sorry, big name mistake--they both start with C's, ok?) might go to ITALY! At the same time that I'm in Europe!! How cool is that?! I hope everything works out, Colleen, and I'll keep my fingers crossed!

In other news, a lost Beethoven manuscript has just been found, and it just seems weird to me to read an article about something so monumental, and then read in the article that, "[The manuscript] is expected to fetch up to £1.5m when it goes on sale at Sotheby's auction house in London on 1 December." Shouldn't something like that be, like, priceless?

In yet other news, my boyfriend has unbelievably good taste in men, as he proved with the postcard he sent me from North Carolina. Talk about ON FIRE (Those curls! That thong!):


The picture is now proudly displayed on my wall.

STUPID, stupid homesickness. Why can't it just leave me alone and go pick on someone else?
Hopefully once classes start all will be better.

These candies are really good.

A family friend bought them for me in Munich, and now there are only three left. I wish I had more, so that I could eat the last three right away, but I don't know where to find more, so I have to savor them.

The above section is probably be a great metaphor for something...but what?

The trip was really good! We were gone for over two weeks, but it felt really short, and that's a good thing: I felt like we were always doing something, or travelling somewhere, or eating GOOD food! Ah, the joy of spending all your saved-up money.
I definitely spent about 1/3 of my savings on that trip, but it was worth it.




Oktoberfest: The most expensive part of the trip, b/c the hostels were in high demand, so they could charge more, and the food was like fair food--a stein of beer cost about 8 or 9 dollars! But definitely a LOT of fun, lots of crazy people, lots of standing on tables singing "ein Prosit! ein Prosit!" with strangers standing next to us. Pretty much only ate huge, delicious, pretzels, or Brezen, as they call them in the south of Germany. Since everything else was meat, of course. Met fun guys from Ireland, one of which had Colin Farrell eyebrows. Too bad I don't think Colin Farrell's attractive. :)


Salzburg: Didn't know much about this city until we got there. We only stayed one night, but the town was prettier and more charming than I expected; very scenic and cute, old buildings, Mozart's birthplace, location where they filmed Sound of Music (they showed it every night at our hostel!), and location of the largest castle in Europe, I think. The castle was really cool--we hiked up to the top of the mountain in the mist and fog, and it was all very cool. Good pizza.


Vienna: This city was nice, and gorgeous, but not as nice and gorgeous as I expected it to be. Basically a typical big city, from what I saw of it, with just more pretty buildings than you would usually find. There was an endless amount of museums, however, which is always cool--we went museum-hopping for three days in row, and saw a lot of Austria's famous painters, such as Klimt, Eger-Linz, and Schiele. Klimt's probably the most famous, he did that gold painting, "The Kiss," if anyone knows what I'm talking about.
Also saw an awesome exhibit on Ancient Egyptian and Roman relics. Could have spent a whole day there!
Oh, and of course, Vienna is famous for the little delicate cake and coffee shops. Had that several times, and I have to say, they really need to pick up on that idea in the states!


Prague: Last stop on the trip, and definitely lived up to my expectations of gorgeous-ness, and they were pretty high to begin with! Spent basically all four days in the central downtown, near the Charles Bridge, but mostly relaxed and took photos of the gorgeous scenery. The service in the Czech Republik is horrible, but that was about the only drawback of the area. Food was delicious (we all treated ourselves to a nice dinner right along the river), and the history was really interesting too. Kafka was also from Prague, so I went to a museum about him. I'd love to go back.

So that's a basic summary of the trip; 7-hour train trip yesterday to get to Goettingen from Prague, switching trains twice. Then we came back and Janelle made delicious brownies for us. Perfect ending.

Now, I believe school starts this week! Scary, but exciting!

Aaaand I'm back.
And exhausted after an awesome vacation. I promise I'll post some kind of summary of the trip ASAP. Since I know you're all sitting on the edges of your seats. :)

I'm in PRAGUE!!!!!!!
And it's GORGEOUS!!!!
I'm coming back the day after tomorrow, but I think this city is one of the prettiest I've ever been to.

That is all--I will post in more detail when I get back!