AND MORE! :)

01.08.2011

The first day of August. Can you believe it? The fact that I still don’t having housing arranged for next year at this point makes me a bit nervous, but it will all work itself out I’m sure. I could always live in a box next to Lake Calhoun? Maybe I’ll just reside in Katie’s convertible. I’d get a nice tan for the beginning part of the school year at least.

Anyway, I went to a huge antique fair with Annika and her husband on Saturday. It was really cool and really big with the substantial number of people selling old German memorabilia. Ceramics, war antiques, fabric, purses, jewelry, shoes, old police sweaters, etc etc etc! There was a lot of crap, but some of it was really neat. I saw so many swastikas on the antiques and was really shocked that people were trying to sell those items. Henryk explained that it was illegal to sell things with that symbol, but it was “under the table.” A bit eerie but also strangely exciting to be able to view things like that. I was able to buy a little medieval soldier made of pewter for 50 cent and an old art poster. Neither had anything to do with the Nazis but still a fun, tiny souvenir to remember the afternoon.

That night we all hung out at their apartment, and I met their good friend Kay. Later we all went to a club around 12 am. I was shocked to learn that their night on the town starts at 12 and ends around 7 am. In the US of course we go out around 10 pm and come back at 2 am. Quite the change. Lately I have been also going to bed around 10 pm and waking up around 7 am for work. Haha. My grandma lifestyle would soon be put to the test. It was a really fun night though, and I was able to stay awake the whole night. We went to a student keller or basement club. The bar required a passport, which is unusual for German bars or clubs. Annika and Henryk both needed to have theirs even though they are 30 years old and the bar’s age requirement is 18. We danced the night/early morning away.

My Sunday was spent sleeping. Lots and lots of sleeping. All together I’m really happy to get to know Annika and Henryk.

06.08.2011

I’m back and ready to update this journal, although there has only been a short week since last writing. It has been a slight blur of all my weekly activities. On Tuesday and Thursday I worked at the Kunstverein. Nothing too major. They are now having me translate their website and brochure also, which is good because there currently is limited work. I have a co-worker there all the time, who doesn’t have much work himself.

Last week I was invited to help at Lia’s kindergarten. We decided that this last Wednesday would be a good day for me to come in, and Lia’s teacher explained I should arrive at halb sechs or in English 6:30 am. Me being surprised by the early hour confirmed with Antonia that they in fact said 6:30, and she nodded yes. Oi. I woke up at 5:30 exhausted but ready to play with little ones. Arriving at 6:30, one of the helpers asked why I was there so early. I looked around and only four children were there. I explained the agreement from the previous week and she just looked confused.

It wasn’t bad being there so early, however I felt very sleepy. The German kindergarten is very similar to ones in the US. The building and rooms are filled with color, toys, puppets, books, and art supplies. I especially liked the fact that in their playground, the school had chickens and rabbits. I’m sure the kids love having these pets there. It’s a lot better in my opinion than having a class fish or hamster, much more interactive. Once the teacher, who I previously spoke with, arrived (around 8:00 am), she told me that we agreed on 10:30 am. There was no use disagreeing, and she let me leave for a break until then. A very, very large coffee and newspaper were calling my name. Later I returned and was able to paint with about 20 kindergarteners. They were all very cute and happily created lots of art.

On Friday I was able to ride the Molli with Annika and Henryk. The Molli is a black and red train with a steam engine and one of Bad Doberan’s major tourist attractions. This weekend is the Molli’s 125^th birthday, and Doberan had a small carnival with rides and booths celebrating the charming train. We took the train (or as Annika liked to say “drive the train.” Apparently Germans “drive” everything because the word fahren is used with so many things) to Kühlungsborn and back. It was beautiful day with lots of sun and laughs. After our Molli trip, we all went back to Rostock and met up with friends of theirs.

Today I worked at the Kunstverein again and had to say my final goodbyes to Thomas, Heike, Antonia, little Lia and Mats. The family is going to Copenhagen for three full weeks, and I won’t see them for the rest of my trip. It’s a bit strange that I’ll be here and my hosts will be on vacation. Who can blame them for wanting to travel on their holiday though? I certainly understand. For the next week, I’ll be house sitting for Antonia, feeding their guinea pigs and picking up their mail. I also have access to internet, a washing machine, their vast DVD collection, and the thing I look forward to most AN OVEN! (My very tiny kitchen only has a little fridge and stove.) The first thing I plan on making is lasagne, and I’m a weirdly jumping for joy to be able to cook and bake once more.

Things to remember:

1. Purchase final train ticket to Frankfurt.
2. Reserve a room at a youth hostel for Aug. 24.
3. Buy Andrew and Julie’s gifts.
4. Send postcards!
5. Find housing for next year or confirm living with Gail.

14.08.2011

I’m jamming out to Robbie Williams. What has Germany or Antonia done to me? Never before had I heard of this Robbie or his band before until Antonia asked me about him. She was stunned when I said I didn’t know him but only the actor Robin Williams. Apparently he’s some big shot singer from an old British boy band. Secretly I think I’m too young to really know his music, especially when he was in a band, but I don’t plan on telling Antonia that or she might feel old. His music is okay, but nothing too amazing. She seems to drool over him, but I think her obsession starts from her youth and is similar to me liking Backstreet Boys because I loved them during my sappy pre-teen years.

Other than the new music I have acquired and the numerous movies I’ve borrowed from both Antonia and Thomas/Heike, things in Germany are going as they were before. Life is filled with work and free time no matter where you are in the world. It rains all the time here and is starting to become a bit of a downer. I like rain but when it comes down everyday and sometimes for the whole day, my good mood gets a bit soggy along with the grass and trees surrounding me. That’s a little depressing, isn’t it?

The past week I have looked over the guineas and loved every minute watching over Antonia’s apartment. It is much bigger than mine and also has much more of a comfy home feel. I did laundry, cooked meals in an oven, and was spoiled with a bubble bath and glass of wine. It was my own little holiday. There was also much time, where I was able to talk to my family and Andrew on skype. These moments I most cherish because the only internet I received before was in my garden, and there isn’t enough reception for a skype conversation. It also rains so much that I can’t even get online from the garden. All in all, it was a really good, relaxing week.

On Tuesday, Elisabeth, the Kunstverein’s accountant, graciously invited me over to her apartment for lunch. I happily accepted and enjoyed a delicious meal of salmon, mashed potatoes, cucumber salad, and fruit. She’s a pleasant woman and it was real treat to spend the afternoon with her.

I worked at the Kulturhistorisches Museum on both Thursday and Friday. Even though the hours can be weary on my eyeballs as I stare at the museum’s website and translate the text into English, I enjoy being there so much. My time helping them is really rewarding, and I feel incredibly needed for my volunteer work. My boss Annelen is always cheerful, even when she has a head cold, and it’s really wonderful to have a conversation with her. We’ve chatted about everything from her upcoming exhibition for the museum and her dumb boss to activities I should do when I’m in Rostock. After work on Friday, I checked out the Hanse Sail 2011 Festival. It’s this enormous carnival, where big old-fashioned ships sail to Rostock and give people rides on the sea. The boats were extraordinary to look at, and people walked around in costumes. They looked like they belonged in Pirates of the Caribbean. The festival also had many rides from a tall Ferris wheel to colorful bumper cars. Stands lined the port walk way with delicious smelling foods, jewelry, and arts and crafts. I bought a massive bratwurst, which was perfect for that very cloudy, dark afternoon. It naturally was pouring outside and I decided not to stay too long. On my way home, I stopped for a coffee at a quaint shop called Café Paula. Every time I walk to work from the train station, I pass this little café and decided I should finally give it a go. It was definitely worth the visit.

I’ll be 22 years old in exactly nine days, and that feels a little strange. Things certainly do go by quickly. Myself, Annika, Henryk, Kay and some other friends will get together next weekend and celebrate. I’m really looking forward to that. They said they would take me to a bar, where people don’t wear shoes –  they only go bare feet. An odd theme for a bar in my opinion. Should be lots of fun though. :)

The rest of the weekend has been pretty slow. On Saturday there was wedding in the Kornhaus, which is about a 2-minute walk away from my apartment and Bad Doberan’s massive medieval cathedral. (I lived next to some pretty amazing sites!) It was neat to watch as the wedding party walked together from church to reception. Weddings happen in Bad Doberan all the time. It seems like the perfect place to be married being in such a romantic town from the Middle Ages, but I feel bad for them now because it always seems to be raining on their special day. However yesterday, the sun was finally shining and everyone looked beautiful. During the afternoon at the Kunstverein I spent some time on translating and sat on the pavilion’s steps with Stefan listening to a local country band play in the town park. After work I did a little grocery shopping, came back to make some dinner, and watched movies. Plans for the rest of today so far consist of a German aerobics video, going for a run before it rains, and then possibly hiking a nearby park if it’s nice enough outside. Tomorrow if I’m really lucky, it will be beautiful and sunny, allowing me to spend the day at the beach and catch up on some much needed reading time.

Cross your fingers that all will work out in the end. xxx

Things to note:

1. Look for package in the mail from mom and dad.
2. Mosquitoes are eating me alive! My body is covered in welts. Next time I travel, I NEED BENADRYL!

Many thoughts rolled into one.

This covers many a day because I didn't have quality internet. Bah.
 

16.07.2011

I’m leaving on a jet plane but I actually do know when I’ll be back again. At least, there is a plane ticket for my return flight that will supposedly be used at the end of August. I guess we’ll see where things go with this internship and life in general. The rest of this summer will fly so fast in Bad Doberan with everything going on around me: an internship at a Kunstverein, a volunteer position at the Kulturhistorisches Museum, and working with children at the Kornhaus, a Kunstschule for kids. There is certainly a lot to think about. In fact there already has been a lot to think about and the beginning of the summer has also flown by unimaginably.

Today’s the big day. Thus far my glamorous day of traveling abroad consists of an intense job of packing up my life in two small suitcases since 7:00 AM, pulling a bank job to afford this trip (just kidding, I just deposited some checks at a bank…) and dropping off library books. Woo! Now I’m sitting at my flight’s gate, reflecting on the last few days in the Twin Cities saying that gloomy final goodbye to Andrew before his departure to DC in the exact same terminal, next to the exact same security walk through. What a difference my two experiences here have been all in one week. It’s a bit exhausting, I do believe.

Currently I am surrounded by a screaming Mankato girls’ soccer team, who apparently is also flying to Iceland. It’s a bit shocking to know they are able to travel to another country for a few soccer games, where as when I was on a summer traveling league we were excited to play in Edina and Eden Prairie. Oh how the times have changed.

About to board now. Ciao.

Things to remember:

1. ATM trip—euros
2. Text the frenetic Mums
3. Contact Antonia about train ride
4. Meet with Thomas on Monday at 9:30 AM
5. Email Andrew and Annelen

20.07.2011

The past couple days were my first two working days for the Kunstverein Roter Pavillon, and it was pretty exciting to be associated with installing a new exhibit, especially with the artist there. The visiting artist’s name is Uwe Kampf, and he creates major sculptural pieces, black and white prints, and paintings on felt to represent contrasting materials in an unusual fashion. His focus is topography, which is also similar to the name of his exhibition, Topos. The show includes two mediums: multiple 10 x 10’’ gray felt-covered canvas squares with different orange-painted ovals on the fabric. The ovals give the composition a sense of depth, and one could comprehend the images to be a simple representation of terrain seen in a birds-eye view. The other medium is heavy, geometric sculptures made from steel and welded with intricate netted patterns.

We just started the installation process by taping walls for painting, hanging the textiles and cleaning up the Pavilion. The rest of the work will be finished tomorrow and an open house will take place on Saturday evening.

I met most of the staff, all of whom will be my work buddies for the next month and a half. Heike, Thomas’ wife, is usually running the show; Stefan is the brother of Mathias, who is married to Antonia, Thomas’ daughter, is the Kunstverein assistant. The others are around some of the time, but also seemed really helpful with all of my questions.

Heike showed me a normal routine for the work day, which involves picking up mail from a nearby gallery, assisting with various office tasks, and dealing with the financial aspects of the Kunstverein. The Pavilion’s mail is sent to another gallery because everyday a group of men a bit “rough around the edges” with tattoos, piercings, and usually a bottle or two of liquor in hand (no matter what time of the day it is) hangs around the Pavilion, and from what Heike explained, they tend to get feisty at times and ruin the mailbox or windows. It’s a very bizarre scene because they look so out of place in Bad Doberan, where families walk around with ice creams, older men play their instruments in the town square, and their main city transportation is an old-fashioned train called the “Molli.” Just a bit silly.

People have been constantly speaking German to me, which can be very hard but also incredibly rewarding. I feel like I’m picking up so much already. German television is also teaching me, however every time I turn on my TV, Sponge Bob Square Pants is on and it drives me a little bonkers.

Yesterday, I spent the day with Antonia at the beach with her two children: Lia, the sweet little four-year old with golden hair and a smile from cheek to cheek and the other, little Mats, the seven-week old baby boy, who has the chubbiest arms and legs. Both are adorable. I had a couple lovely moments of bonding with Lia. First riding in the car to the beach as we both inconspicuously blew bubbles with our chewing gum and her followed giggles, and then finding seashells in the sand to decorate our slightly collapsing sand castle.

Antonia and her husband Mathias are both wonderful and generous people. She clearly acts like her parents, Thomas and Heike, with how caring and thoughtful they all are. For being warned about Germans being curt and perhaps rude, I have only experienced warmth.

Things to remember:

1. One can only pick up a grocery cart outside of the store and there’s a deposit of a 50, 1, or 2 Euro coin to use it.
2. Everyone shakes hands all the time even when they have met multiple times. Our verbal greeting is their handshake.
3. Make a calendar. Lots of events coming up soon and must keep things organized.

24.07.2011

There’s so much to report, I don’t know where to begin. The last point, which I left off would probably make sense. This first week in Bad Doberan has come and gone exceptionally fast. I’m sure the rest of my time here will be the same, especially with more and more planned activities coming my way. The workweek went really well. The rest of the installation was put up on Thursday when I was in Rostock for my Museum orientation, and the Pavilion was slowly put together for the grand opening on Saturday.

I left for my first orientation of the Kulturhistorisches Museum on Wednesday morning bright and early. Catching the train at 8 AM, I needed to be there by 9, but trains don’t arrive as often in the morning so my trip was ahead of schedule. This is good because I’d much rather be early than incredibly late. Bad Doberan is about 20-30 minutes away from Rostock by train. Meeting Annelen at the museum she directed me to an office and there I received a short interview/welcome from her and her boss. They only spoke German and fast. Surprisingly I picked up quite a bit and they knew that my German speaking was weak. Overall the main idea of the meeting was to explain that I would be working on translating their website into English as well as correcting English brochures, which have already been printed.

Then Annelen gave me a tour of the museum/old convent. Again only in German. I probably understood 3-5 words in each sentence said. Although in my defense, I didn’t exactly study the vocabulary on the history and background of a “Kloster” when I learned German in school.

Once the tour was finished she brought me back to her office and we casually chatted about the job, life, and Rostock. Speaking in both German and English, I became more at ease with knowing what she exactly said and things were much more comfortable. I met her co-worker Annika, who is a historian at the Museum part-time. Graciously she offered me her afternoon and gave me a tour of the city. Later we bought coffee at one of her favorite little cafes (with blankets offered on the chairs-something she and I have never seen anywhere else) and talked for about 4 or 5 hours. It was a really nice afternoon to be able to get to know someone around my age and living in Rostock. She suggested that I come visit and hang out with her and her friends more often, which I will definitely take her up on.

On Friday and Saturday there was last minute preparation time for the open house on Saturday. Stefan and I bought appetizers, wine and juice for the party and helped organize art title labels, etc. As fast as the time came to be 5 o’clock on Saturday evening, it moved just as quickly with the opening and a late dinner afterwards with the artist and some Kunstverein friends. The party had a good turnout of about 35 people, and with Bad Doberan being so small, that seemed like a nice group to have support Uwe Kampf. His wife and her friend played the flute and some percussion (gongs and drums!) in a very sporadic way. Their two-man band was an improvisational group, who knew what to play from just how they felt and the mood the surrounding artwork gave them. It was quite interesting, sometimes bizarre, but with the message behind Uwe Kampf’s work and how it appeared in the Pavilion, the strangeness was appropriate. To be played at an open house for Monet might be another story. That evening I learned about jellied pork at dinner. The meat was in a jar of clear jelly amongst vegetables. It was a bit odd to serve meat that way, however as a woman next to me intelligently pointed out, it allows the whole meat source to be used. Pretty efficient even though jellied pork doesn’t sound that appetizing. I did end up trying it and my opinion is this: It’s good to try new things, but it’s not bad to say no thank you the next time.

And now onto today. At 9:30 AM I experienced my first Protestant church service and my first German spoken service. I understood little to nothing because of the language barrier and also because I am Catholic, which has a different style for the mass (not too far off though as I learned). The point wasn’t for me to gain some faith in my life though, just to experience something new in a different culture and location.

The rest of the day I spent in Rostock. Traveling to the city and thinking I could do some shopping on my free day, I quickly learned that I was mistaken. Shops, and I mean all shops, are closed on Sundays. I should have realized that things might be similar in Germany as they are in Greece in terms of shop schedules especially on Sundays. All is well though because one small ice cream shop/café was open in Rostock, and I was able to purchase a delicious strawberry frozen yoghurt. From useless train traveling to unexpected disappointments, ice cream certainly makes things better.

29.07.2011

My second Friday in Bad Doberan! Wow! I feel as though every time I come back to this journal I have too many things to report and about five new jobs in this tiny town than what I originally started with. Okay, reverse reverse. Explanations are in order:

Last Monday I went to Wismar with Thomas, which is where he works as a professor of architecture. Wismar is a city of about 50,000 with a very medieval background. With the buildings and churches being so beautiful and close knit, it was a real treat to walk around and look at things. Peter, Thomas’ research assistant, gave me a tour of the University, and he was able to get me a tour around their print studios. What fun! I spoke with the printing professor, and he invited me to come anytime to print there if I was interested. I might now be returning next week Tuesday. We shall see. I experienced my first smoked fish, which was delicious and afterward was able to help Thomas’ secretary write a letter in English to university students. I felt very needed (for my English skills) and that is always a good feeling. I explained that I could help her with writings in the future when I was in Wismar.

Tuesday I had an interview with the Bad Doberan newspaper called Otsee Zeitung. Ha! It was a bit silly because I really don’t feel that important to be reported on for a newspaper article, however it was done and thoroughly. She asked all sorts of questions about my life and the internship. Later she took me to the Kamp or park area of the town and said, “Now I will play you. Please watch and then do this when I take your picture.” She then laid on a park bench, put her arm and hand on the side of her head to support her neck and smiled to the sky. I looked at her and I bursted out in a laugh as rude as that might have been. She was laughing too though and said she was serious about the look. So I posed how she wanted me to but in a less Hollywood, dramatic way. I didn’t want to seem full of myself and the pose sang egoistisch, “drama queen.” The last thing I need is a bunch of Bad Doberaners thinking the American girl is into herself. Anyway, she showed me her photos and we were both very happy with the results. The rest of Tuesday was spent at the Kunstverein, where I worked on a powerpoint for Thomas and his presentation at the Town Hall meeting on Thursday. The powerpoint was based on their previous exhibition called “Verlorene Gebäude” at the Roter Pavillon, and he and the Burgermeister would be speaking about the slides.  A very long, time consuming process to make that slideshow.

On Wednesday I went to the Kulturhistorisches Museum in Rostock for my first work day. I translated some of their website into English and took a good portion of the day to fix A LOT of errors with their museum brochure, which had already been “translated” into English by someone else. I also met up with Mathias Rothe at the end of the day, a fun and rather odd experience to see someone familiar in a very unfamiliar place, even when it is planned. Wednesday was finally a beautiful, sunny day, something usually common in the region, however this summer has been very different. I have seen rain and lots of it. It’s also very cold and already feels like autumn. I miss my boots and sweaters but I’ve still made things work. Apparently the weather in the Twin Cities is horribly hot and humid. Two h’s you want to stay away from so in a way, I suppose I am very lucky to have cool temps. Once I returned from Rostock, Thomas and Heike invited me over for a delicious dinner of spaghetti, cold cuts, and a lovely salad. We also ate with Antonia, Mathias and the kids, who always make for entertainment with their silly thoughts and Mats’ urge to teethe everything in sight including a wine opener, Thomas’ glasses, and the offered breadsticks.

On Thursday and today, Friday, I was able to work at the Kornhaus Kunstschule. We made monotypes in a style I’ve never tried before. Rolling black ink on a flat surface and placing tracing paper over the ink, you can draw an image on the side facing up with pencil, your finger, or any object that creates a pressure against the ink. Once the drawing is finished, you remove the paper and your composition is shown in black ink. The process was fun but so different from what the U teaches in my printmaking classes. Ha. That is a bit obvious I suppose.

Working with kids is really fascinating though. They watch you create something and if it is simple enough, they can replicate it perfectly. I watched as a little girl made an underwater ocean scene with fish and seaweed. Not wanting to step on her toes, I drew a small crab and some waves on a separate piece of paper. She liked the pictures and put them in her work. She was incredibly sweet and mature for her young age as the teachers came over, complimenting her crab, and she immediately explained that it was Anna’s idea. Later I painted another ocean scene with sun, clouds and waves in watercolor and gave her the picture. Today she came in with her mom to pick up her pieces, and her mom said she saw my article in the newspaper, which explained that I was an art student. Her mom excitedly (and hopefully jokingly) stated that she would keep the painting forever because it would soon be by a famous artist. I just laughed and said if that was the case, I would make them a better piece of art.

So that’s where I’m at thus far. I think I’ll hang out with Annika and her husband Henryk tomorrow. It all really depends on the weather I think.

Ciao xxx

 

Summer sun, green grass, lakeshores, pure bliss :)

Old artwork from May and July 2008

Rolling in the Deep.

I've been training for a half marathon in June and I must say my body is killllling me. Running has become more enjoyable than it ever has, however I also dread it too. I wonder if this is what professional athletes, specifically runners, go through when training. Not that I should compare my daily run to any kind of professional training for some millionaire athlete.

Tonight is the orientation meeting for WorkART, and I'm excited to get the ball rolling. My plane ticket has been purchased, my housing arrangements have been made, and now I find out more details about the program. This has been such a different experience to what my first study abroad program was when I went to Greece. SPAN, the research abroad program, had two meetings and individual group meetings throughout the year. I was living with a group of six in Athens, Greece, and we all became a big family, learning the city together. With WorkArt, everything is so much more independent. Everyone will be staying in different cities throughout Germany. Once we travel over the Atlantic by ourselves, there isn't much interaction with the group except for online communication. Crazy. I'm pumped! :) With graduating soon and thinking about traveling to a new part of the States (or new part of the world), this opportunity to go to Germany for a month and a half by myself will help the transition. I'll get a taste of independence with work involved, and it's really wonderful to have this amazing chance!

I blinked and became old.

To begin this blog, I should probably give some background information on the life of Anna B. I am a college student about to finish my undergraduate experience and move out into the real world. Scary, no? Those four years (now being pushed to 4.5 years...) will soon be completed, which is unreal to me. Where did the time go? I remember my move-in day in August 2007 when I was in awe of such an enormous campus, the overwhelming student body, and all the opportunities generating from my new independence.

And future plans? As of now, it consists of filling my days with graduate applications, finding work (lots and lots of work) and all together just enjoying life. I believe an individual should never be completely swamped with work because you'll miss the whole picture of what life really should be about. For me now, I hope to find a graduate program that will provide a supportive faculty, creative, inspiring peers, and a comfortable life in a new city. 

My college days thus far have been unforgettable. I have been truly blessed with perfect friends and family, a loving man, a stable job, a strong arts program, and the opportunity to travel. And traveling is why I am starting this blog. I will participate in WorkArt Kunstverein, a new art internship program that sends university art students to Germany for 4-8 weeks during the summer. My time will be spent in Bad Doberan and Rostock during mid-July to the end of August. Learning about this program so late in the school semester, I'm both shocked and ridiculously excited to be participating as an intern. Only once in a lifetime does something like this occur, especially with the financial assistance I will be receiving. All in all, I'm incredibly appreciative of CGES's, Barbara Wolbert's, and the WorkART program's unbelievable support.