Blogabroad
by Mary Pinckney Waters
October 12, 2005 - Glass Reflections
Maybe this city is starting to come a little more into focus
for me. And the sharper it gets, the better I like what I
see.
Though I moved to Bamberg less than a month ago, its street
signs and corner cafes have already begun to greet me with
a certain familiarity. Each time I venture out of Bamberg
to tour other cities in Germany, I experience a sense of
relief upon re-encountering its landmarks as long bus rides
drive toward … well, home.
My time here has been consumed by the Vorbereitungskurs
(preparation course) and the friends I have made through
it. The course is designed to bring your language skills
up to par, ease your integration into the culture and, of
course, introduce you to other exchange students. It is optional,
but I would firmly encourage anyone studying abroad to participate
in any such course offered.
Class met from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (or 13:00, as a German
would say), Monday through Friday in two sessions: one for
language and grammar, and the other for culture and practical,
day-to-day tips. I can’t overemphasize what a blessing
this second session was, especially. One can’t imagine
how many brainless questions will necessitate asking when
living in a foreign country and speaking a foreign language,
but trust me -- they will need asking, and you won’t
want to look like an idiot in front of just anyone!
Enter: the Vorbereitungskurs professors. They are brainless-question-proof,
thank goodness. How do I buy tickets for the bus? Where are
the one-euro bills? Why don’t Germans use Charmin toilet
paper?
Any paramount questions you have, go ahead –- fire
away. The professors are there to make your transition as
comfortable as possible, and that means in the bathroom,
too … or something like that. Anyway, they’ll
also provide plenty of inside advice that will give you an
edge once the semester begins, such as tips on selecting
and signing up for courses, giving presentations, formatting
papers and how the grading system works.
Besides spending time in a classroom, the course includes
other activities such as team sports, movies, weekend excursions
and social events. Our group visited Munich for Oktoberfest,
Würzburg for a “Weinprobe” (wine-tasting),
and the Fränkische Schweiz for cave-exploring and hiking.
And, needless to mention, hardly an evening has passed without
at least one university- or student-planned get-together,
each of which has inevitably doubled as a means for bringing
our represented nationalities closer in the name of German
beer.
And I have to admit, as much as Bamberg is starting to feel
like home, it can look just a bit out of focus after hanging
out with my newfound pals from Poland, Canada, the Czech
Republic, England, Russia, Latvia, Scotland ….
Mary Pinckney Waters welcomes your comments
and feedback: marypwaters@yahoo.com |
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