Interviews and Exploring - Day 1 of School

Today was the first official day of classes. Being here it hasn't really sunk in that I actually will be expected to do school work, but I am glad that there is something to fill the day or else I would likely become very bored. Since I am taking an intensive language class, the first day was filled with first an interview and then waiting to see how we spoke during the interview. I didn't worry about this much because all of the subjects I am taking are just bonuses, so I wouldn't mind if I got put in a lower class.

A relaxing breakfast

My schedule said to arrive by 9:45, so I left my apartment at 9 after a nice breakfast of fresh cherry marmalade and butter on bread. I was getting off at a different U-Bahn stop than yesterday, so I wanted to make sure to be early.

The new station

It took me half an hour to get there, which will shorten slightly with practice, and I waited with the other students to get called. They eventually called me at 10:30 (not the most punctual) and I talked to two teachers about my life a bit in German. I was quite happy with how I did, and went back to wait for the tour of the campus to begin at 10:50.

I was happy that a kid that I met yesterday, Ramsi, also had his interview at about the same time so he would be on the same tour group as I was. You can find the map of my tour here. I have started using "My Tracks" so I can see where I go during some explorations, and I have been very happy with it so far. The tour really went form Bentanostr 52, where my class is, to the main office of FUBiS and the cafeteria. I then headed off with three other students, Ramsi, Amanda and Lea (I am fairly sure about their names) to get lunch. We exited through the opposite door than we were planning to, so it took some figuring out to get close to resaraunts. We ended up eating at a döner place right outside of the Dahlem-Dorf station. I had some amazing schnitzel. This is where the map linked above ends.

The schnitzel

After lunch we explored a bit near the Bentanostr. classrooms, and then went back to the buildings. It was there that I discovered that I had been selected for Intensiv B1, which I believe is what I expected. We had a small bit of class and then I came back home. I was under the impression the river boat tour was going to be today, not tomorrow, so my host mother currently believes I wont be home for dinner. Hopefully she will be all right with the change of plans.

More photos can be seen here.

Orientation

Today was Orientation Day. It started at 2 o'clock, so I had plenty of relaxing time in the morning. The Bräckle family makes their own granola, so we had some of that for breakfast with some fruit. It was another amazing 60 degree sunny day. The temperature varies by at most 15 degrees throughout the whole 24 hour day, and the sun as so far never not shone. I believe some rain is on the way the next couple of days, which will be a bummer.

The silent street-car

I rode the Straßenbahn for the first time today, and I must say I was very impressed. The cars were perfectly oiled, didn't shake in the slightest, were perfectly clean, smelled good, and were very punctual. The U-Bahn stations were gorgeous, and I felt like I was in a fairy tale walking into the ones near the university.

Where are the hobbits?

I got on the Straßenbahn at Innsbrucker Platz, which is only a 5 minute walk from my apartment. The trains travel in a circle around the city, so I chose the clockwise-headed S45 to get on. I got off two stops later at Heidelberger Platz, which is a station that serves both the S-bahn and the U-bahn. I went down into a glorious subway station, which was very elaborately decorated.

Only a little piece of the Heidelberger Platz station

I rode this similarly silent car to Dahlem-Dorf, which is the station I showed above. This is at the northwest end of the FU-Berlin campus (which is really spread out over a VERY large area). I could have gotten off at the next stop and had a shorter walk, but I was early and wanted to see the area.

Pictured: a befuddling house

It turns out it is a gorgeous area with some really interesting houses and a lot of trees. The university is a mix of very modern with very old, which I like. Some of the houses were befuddling and others looked like quaint little family homes. After about a 15 minute walk, I arrived at the Rost- und Silberlaube, where the meeting was held. The buildings are so named because they are rust and silver colored...a very interesting mix in the middle of middle earth.

Rost- und Silberlaube

The orientation was fine, and we had some spätzle, but mostly uneventful. I have an interview tomorrow morning to determine what class I should be in for the first six weeks of language instruction.

We got a fun satchel for school though!

I came home to Christa cooking some fresh cherry marmalade (frische Kierschemarmelade) with the cherries Thomas picked yesterday. She has a lot of jars of it, so I am very excited to eat them during our coming breakfasts.

My breakfast being cooked by my host mom

As always, there are more photos in my Google album, here

Photos

I am trying to figure out how to display a slideshow of my photos on here, but because I cannot figure that part out, you can see all of my pictures HERE.

My Apartment

The house I am staying in is on the first floor (albeit up some stairs from the ground) of a very traditional German house. It has been retrofitted, so some doors and fixtures are very modern, but the ceiling is very high and ornately decorated, and there is a lot of room and light. I could get used to this...

The apartment

Introduction

This is when I started this blog. I finally got tired of writing emails, so I figured it was time. I will start with the emails I have written (so that it is all in chronological order) and maybe embellish them a bit. It would be great to be able to do this the entire time I am in Germany, but that likely won't happen. I'll settle for whenever I have time. Hopefully I get better at the website as I get more practice, and I will be able to keep up with all of the events.