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I have been back home for a week!

Leaving Köln was tough because I never really expected the day to come so fast. When you get to Germany in August, you don’t really think about leaving except for when it actually comes. It’s just a date on your calendar that you don’t acknowledge too much because you want to enjoy the year. But then it eventually comes and no one is really ready for it.

My last day in Köln was pretty relaxed, as I had already said my goodbyes to classmates and friends on the day before. So on the actual morning of I only said goodbye to my host family, with the exception of my host mom, who was taking me to the Hauptbahnhof later. Later that morning I went into the city to exchange my Euros, but I also ended up wandering around and staring at the Dom. After coming back, my host mom drove me to Chorweiler and I sent my “package of defeat” to California. I call it the “package of defeat” because I naively thought at the beginning of my exchange year that I wouldn’t have to send one home. At first I thought that I would send five kilograms worth, but my suitcase was teetering on the edge of fifty-two so I played it safe and sent ten.

And after walking out the door one and seeing my wonderful lil’ suburb of Blumenberg one last time, we took the S-Bahn to the Hauptbahnhof for my train to Frankfurt. There I said goodbye to my host mom and met up with the lovely Cologne Crew for our final ride with Deutsche Bahn. But in typical DB fashion our train was late and (surprise) Gerd was there! He said that our goodbye to him was so wonderful that he had to come back and do the same.

We didn’t arrive too late at Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof and I had enough time to say hello to everyone before they got us on the hostel-bound buses. Our room (shoutout to Ryan, Nate and Jack again) had a beautiful view of the Main and we all chilled until dinner and a seminar. It was our last day in Germany, so we all acted like it. No breaking of the five rules, though; we wouldn’t want to get sent home, would we?

We had to wake up unholily early for our flight, and we passed through check-in and security rather fast. There were a few hours to burn at the airport and due to the lack of Starbucks, I spent an also unholy six Euros at a Coffee Fellows. My last Euros were spent on Mezzo Mix though, because Coke and Fanta will never be the same.

I had the pleasure of sitting with my OG plane buddies Tiff and Grant, so the year really ended up going full-circle. I set up this wonderful plan to watch four movies throughout the entire flight but I ended up only watching Rogue One. There was gelato again and it was a great flight. After landing and picking up our luggage, we got to meet the German students who were living in the U.S. for the past year. We all chatted a bit until we got on the shuttle buses to the 4-H Center.

The American half was pretty jet lagged, so we weren’t super engaged during the afternoon. Our rooms were divided between the two groups, so I got to know my German roommate really well and hear about his exchange year. On the second day we had orientations from FLAG and State Department representatives. We mostly exchanged stories with the German students and just discussed our exchange years. At the end we wrote letters and recorded a video with our name, host city, and a tip for next year’s CBYX.

For the afternoon we had a “bus tour” of Washington, D.C. planned and that was… interesting. It was just really poorly planned, and we ended up seeing three memorials in the same area and driving through the city with a guide frantically naming every building like the world was ending. There was a quick photo stop at the Capitol, which looks really nice at night.

And then it was the final day. Just like Frankfurt, we got up unholily early and took one shuttle to the airport for our flights back home. It was really tough to say goodbye to everyone who was getting picked up or had different terminals, so there were tears involved. I stuck with my Californians, the Texans, and the Kansans through security and we all hung out at the Los Angeles gate. The German students ended up coming a bit later so I ate at Five Guys with a few of them before getting ready to board. I slept the entire flight, but I was pretty awake and excited when we landed in LA. On the escalator down to baggage claim, most of our families were already waiting at the bottom. I didn’t see mine at first but when I got down they were right around the corner. We all hugged and freaked out, basically “!!!” in physical expression. All the California CBYXers took a group picture, said see-ya-later, and went our separate ways. My parents and cousin took me out for boba, which I have been missing for the longest time. And then after sleeping on the car ride home, I ran inside to see my dog. I think the lil’ sucker thought I died, because he went crazy and ran all over the house.

But now that I have completed my exchange year on the 33. CBYX, this blog has served it’s purpose. It’s the end! There’s more adventures for me, but this one has come to a close. Writing here on Marc Goes German has been a blast, and I’m grateful for everyone who still reads/has read my ramblings and thoughts. I won’t forget this year, but it’s nice to have this blog, just in case. So goodbye, and thanks for sticking around. It has been quite the ride.

Your Favorite Ami,

Marc Camanag

CBYX 2016-2017

 

Hold On, We’re Going Home

I have less than a week left in Germany.

Crazy, right? At the beginning of my exchange year, I thought that it would feel like forever; that I would have all the time in the world to explore and become one with the German culture. But in six days we’ll be flying back to D.C., and in eight I’ll already be back home in California. I will be exchanging my amazing German bread for really average American bread. My German for English. My life in Germany for the one I put on pause ten months ago. Things won’t be the same, but I’m not expecting them to be.

The idea of leaving is way more difficult than I expected. It’s hard to imagine that I won’t be seeing the Dom at least once a week, or even be living in a big city. Through an exchange year, you just become accustomed to so many things. Since you’re living, they become, well — a part of your life. They stop surprising you because you become so used to them. And to say goodbye — even to the little things, sucks. I will miss Deutsche Bahn despite all of the cancelled trains and delays. I will miss going to my German high school despite not understanding everything that comes my way.  I will miss all the tiny details that have become a piece of my life in Germany.

Köln has definitely became my second home. I love this city with all my heart, and about 99.99% more than my lovely hometown in California. The details exist here, too — I know what time the S-Bahn runs by my station, how many steps it takes to climb the Dom, and where to get the best burrito in town. And so many other useless things that I learned just because this city is considered “home” in my book. But like all “homes” you eventually come back to it, and Köln is no exception. So maybe Karneval 2018?

I’ll be heading to Frankfurt next Tuesday with all my amazing fellow CBYX-FLAG homies, and then on Wednesday we’ll all fly to good old Washington, District of Columbia. There will be a three-day re-entry orientation in Chevy Chase with the German students who did their exchange in the U.S., which I’m looking forward to. The ice cream machine at the 4-H Center is heavenly too. On Friday, I will be heading to my lovely home on the other side of the USA. I’m super excited to see my parents and all my family and friends. And my dog, of course.

An American in Paris

Last week I made a short trip to France’s charming capital, Paris. And that was an adventure. I didn’t think I would make it to Paris at all this year, but I reached out to a family friend in Dijon and he offered to meet me there and show me around. My time in Paris involved a lot of walking, jaw-dropping, and standing in awe. And naturally plenty of crêpes, sunshine, and “Parlez vous anglais?” all around.

DAY 1

I landed at Charles de Gaulle after a short flight on Air France from Düsseldorf International. Our family friend, Oliver, picked me up from the terminal and we took the Metro to my AirBNB in the city’s 20th arrondissement. Paris was way hotter than I anticipated, so I freshened up and we took the Metro to the city center.

Knowing this was my first time in Paris, Oliver had an idea of what I really, really wanted to see first. The hotel from Midnight in Paris, starring Owen Wilson! Just kidding, I loved that movie but we went to the Eiffel Tower. And that was an extraordinary moment. We got out of the underground station, turned a corner and I saw the Eiffel with my own eyes. I could write at least a paragraph about just seeing the tower but I’ll save you guys the time. CliffsNotes edition: really amazing, 12/10 would recommend.

After taking a million pictures, Oliver took me on a little evening walking tour of Paris. We saw Les Invalides, walked on the Pont des Arts along the Seine, and visited the exterior of the Louvre. There’s just such a vibrant feeling in the streets and I enjoyed everything from the apartments to the famous sights. At sunset we ate dinner near the Centre Georges Pompidou and saw the Notre-Dame de Paris before heading to the apartment. Notre-Dame was quite a sight and I made a mental note to came back during the day.

DAY 2

The sun was still shining on my second day, so we filled the day with a lot of outdoor sightseeing and walking. I really wanted to see the Eiffel Tower from the other side so the day started with that. The view was even more magnificent, especially without the architectural eyesore of Tour Montparnasse. We walked along the Seine and made a brief stop at the tunnel where Princess Diana was involved in the famous car crash. Our next stops of the day were the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées. I loved the Arc so much that I ended up going to the top. The view was breathtaking and I got to look down the lively streets of Paris.

Around noon we caught a Metro and rode a bit out of the city, to see Moulin Rouge and Sacré-Cœur. And this church is STUNNING. The Sacré-Cœur is an elegant white basilica that overlooks Paris. Just describing it makes me feel inclined to return. The panorama over the city is amazing and the entire hill is quite idyllic.

The heat and trekking really got to us, so we stopped by a restaurant nearby for a delightful French lunch. I ordered escargot to cross off my bucket list and it was so, so delicious. The snails were cooked in a garlic-herb butter and I could eat them for days. And for dessert I had fromage blanc with honey; can the French go wrong with anything they cook?

In the afternoon we made our way to Jardin du Luxembourg, an impressive palace and garden in Paris’ 6th arrondissement. The weather was nice and warm so we sat in lawn chairs and watched toy boats float around in the fountain. Everyone in the garden was so calm for being in such a vast and vibrant city, and I realized that Jardin du Luxembourg was their little escape from the liveliness of Paris. I shared in the lifestyle for a while and picked up a crêpe as I strolled around the grounds.

To conclude the day we headed to Notre-Dame so I could see the church under the sun. It was just as marvelous and I noticed the intricate details more so this time around. There were flowers blooming at the facade, so I snapped a picture of the Notre-Dame accompanied with roses.

DAY 3

My trip to Paris was relatively spontaneous so I did not have a chance to buy tickets, for well, anything. So I decided that I would only wait a lengthy time once to avoid wasting the day. I spent a while thinking on this and eventually decided on the Catacombs of Paris, just because it’s such an astounding and impressive part of the city. We left about an hour before the tunnels opened for visitors and ended up waiting an awful three hours in line. But it was definitely worth it. As with anywhere that houses the bones of six million people, there was a macabre feeling as we walked through. But the Latin quotes and artfully arranged skulls made for a captivating experience.

I wanted the day to be rather relaxed so our next and final stop was the Louvre. The amount of art inside is unbelievable; I am a firm believer that one could spend days wandering the collection and never get bored. The Louvre is undoubtedly one of my favorite art museums, and there’s not enough words that I could possibly write. Instead I’ll let a picture say a thousand words (smooth, right?) and share a picture I took of one of the Louvre’s most famous pieces, the Mona Lisa:

There is a plethora of brilliant art in the Louvre, from The Wedding at Cana to Winged Victory of Samothrace but Mona Lisa is reasonably more popular. Getting to the front was a struggle, and people are feisty about seeing the painting. After leisurely making my way through and standing as close as allowed, I snapped a shot and stood there for about ten minutes. I chatted with a woman also at the front, and she turned out to be a fellow American. She asked me if I was studying art and then we had a pleasant conversation about my time in Paris.

After sauntering through more of the collection and making a stop at the lovely Louvre shop, I had a heavenly pistachio macaron at the museum bakery. We then strolled around Paris and saw the sunset on the Seine, which made me wonder: How can a city be so delightful, so effortlessly?

DAY 4

My flight from Charles de Gaulle was before noon, so we had an early breakfast of croissants and coffee before heading to the airport. I said my goodbyes and thanks to Oliver at the terminal and then relaxed at my gate until boarding. After taking off I had a final coup d’œil of Paris, with the Eiffel Tower in the distance and the sun covered by gray skies.

The Nostalgia of Letters

At language camp in Hedersleben and the midyear seminar in Köln, we wrote ourselves letters to open at the end of our exchange year. And since the Berlin seminar was essentially the end, we opened them there on our last day. Letters have this amazing effect of capturing your emotions in a single moment and letting you relive them. And at the end of our exchange year, a lot of us were wishing to go back and experience everything again. The letters we wrote gave us a little glimpse back to those moments, and that was a truly wonderful feeling. I thought that I would share my letters and in turn share some of those great memories:

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10 August 2016

Hedersleben, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

“Marc,

Hallo! You are writing this in your afternoon German class at the monastery in Hedersleben. Today is the 10th of August, and you’ve been here for two days. When you read this, your exchange year is over (sadly). Over the span of two days, you’ve already made so many memories, and between today and this letter, you probably have millions. At this point, I’m legit praying that you’re fluent in German (LMAO, your German RN is scheiße). You didn’t really enter this program with legit “goals”, but I hope you grew as a person and made new memories here. Hedersleben is hella awesome, and you’re going to miss this place, cuz it’s the scheiße.

(P.S. Learn more German cuss words.)”

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21 January 2017

Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

“Marc,

You’ve been in Germany for five months! What an exchange year this has been. It’s the third day of mid-year in Köln. You’ve been to a lot of German cities here and there, Brussels, and have explored your beautiful host city of Köln. You DEFINITELY speak better German than at the beginning of the year, und das ist wirklich geil. School and the host fam are going great! Du kannst jetzt Deutsch sprechen! Hopefully at this point you’ve explored more of this wonderful continent. Your life has definitely changed, but, ya know, in a good way. I hope that you’ve enjoyed these ten months of loving, living, and laughing. Cheers.”

Berlin: The End

Last week was the unofficial (yet official) end of my exchange year in Germany with CBYX. All of the American scholarship recipients, from all over the country, had our final seminars in Germany’s capital, Berlin. Those four days, to say the least, were bittersweet. Seeing everyone again was amazing, but we also all had to acknowledge that our time in this wonderful country is running out. I remember hearing from one of our advisors that the year goes by incredibly fast after Christmas, and now I can truly understand. Thinking back throughout the year, there are things that I wish I had done or done differently. But absolutely no regrets. I am wholeheartedly satisfied with every day of this exchange year, whether it be eating ice cream under Cologne Cathedral or roaming the streets of Amsterdam or hiking through the Eifel with my host family. I know that I will be leaving this country with so many memories and experiences, and I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. My time here as a CBYX ambassador will always be an important part of me, and I know that I’ll still smile when I think back to this exchange year.

I left for Berlin on Wednesday morning and had the pleasure of sitting with Cologne Crew for the ride. And along the way, we picked up more students from our program and met two from another. I have been lucky enough to travel to Berlin several times, so the end of year seminar marks my third time in the capital. (Fun fact: I have been in Germany’s capital more times than America’s! So far Berlin is leading 3-2 against Washington, D.C.) At the Hauptbahnhof, we of course ran into more people and I also had the chance to chat with some exchange students that I only knew from Instagram and so. And while checking in with my program, I saw my amazing teacher Lea for the first time since language camp! Talking to everyone again was great and we all had the chance to catch up and chill. After the last few students checked in, we took a shuttle bus to our hotel. Admittedly, it was relatively isolated (actually really quite isolated) but the area was also really beautiful. The roomies from Midyear stuck together (shoutout to Ryan, Nate and Jack) and a lot of us went out to chill at the lake.

On Thursday we had a very touching and informative tour of the Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas in the heart of Berlin. For me, the memorial evokes the feeling of isolation; as you walk through, the loud noises of Berlin fade away and the slabs feel like giants. We also had the chance to visit the memorial’s information center, which was a truly humbling experience. Reading the history of such a senseless action was painful and the stories and final words of some of the victims were heartbreaking. I never really knew much more about the Holocaust than what was in my history textbook and learning from the perspective of the victims gave me a completely new insight. My main hope is that history does not repeat itself, and that we, as humans, do not let an event like the Holocaust happen again.

Friday was, without a doubt, the highlight of our seminar. After waking up early and dressing up in our best, we headed to the city for our program with the Bundestag. All 350 of us took a nice group photo outside of the Reichstag and then headed inside to sit in the plenary. We were given a brief history on the building and the German political system before listening in on an official session of the Bundestag. The session was really cool, and all of the parties seemed to be passionate about Wohnungseinbruchdiebstahl. Right after, we headed into the meeting room of the CDU and had a Q&A session with Bundestag representatives. And to make things even cooler, the President of the Bundestag gave a speech to us! Dr. Lammert discussed the importance of the program and how necessary it is in strengthening the relationship between our countries.

Catch me in the first row, eighth from the right! (credit: Deutscher Bundestag)

Dr. Norbert Lammert, President of the Bundestag, delivering his speech to us. (credit: Deutscher Bundestag)

After the speech from Dr. Lammert, we had a great lunch outside of the meeting room. All of us had the chance to talk to each other and I met more students in person for the first time. I also finally met up with four students that I have known since before I was even accepted into CBYX. We started a Facebook group chat while we are all still applying, and have been supporting each other throughout the entire year. So that was pretty great!

Cologne Crew takes over the Bundestag

And after lunch we made our way over to the U.S. Embassy! So apparently Angela Merkel was like a hundred meters from the Embassy, but I was one of the first to get checked in so I unfortunately did not see her. The reception was in the courtyard and was one of the coolest things I have ever experienced. In true American fashion, we were supplied with a beautiful variety of doughnut holes and sodas fresh from the U.S.A. We all used the time to speak with exchange students from other CBYX regions and enjoy ourselves on quasi-American soil. And state by state, we all took group pictures together. Considering we’re the coolest state ever, California had quite a lot of people.

The U.S. Embassy came in clutch (credit: U.S. Botschaft Berlin)

Proudly representin’ Moreno Valley, CA (credit: U.S. Botschaft Berlin)

And guess who I ran into before he delivered his speech to us? The chargé d’affaires and deputy U.S. Ambassador to Germany, Kent Logsdon! I recognized him as soon as he came out of the door and we had the chance to talk before the actual reception. He also happens to be a fan of my host city, Cologne!

Mr. Logsdon and myself

Mr. Logsdon went on to deliver his speech to all of us, and we also heard from two members of the German Bundestag who handle the politics behind our exchange program. A few students performed in the courtyard, including a great rendition of the National Anthem and an amazing spoken word. Afterwards was an opportunity for us to speak with Foreign Service Officers working at the Embassy. For me, this was a great touch because I am definitely interested in taking the FSE after college and working at the State Department. The end of the session left me feeling inspired and excited for a potential career in the Foreign Service. And a few doughnut holes and a Mountain Dew later, we said goodbye to our little piece of America and headed back into the city. Our group had quite a lot of free time, but since I had already done all the typical-Berlin things before, I decided to just chill. My group ended up buying souvenirs, visiting the Europa Experience in the European House, and having dinner at a nice restaurant with another group. So I ended the night with a Starbucks Berlin travel mug, a T-shirt, and some delicious avocado toast and iced tea.

I wish Great Britain loved the EU as much as we did

Saturday was our last and most emotional day. After packing our things, we headed back to the seminar room for one final meeting. Gerd, one of our program advisors, asked us to close our eyes after we got settled in. And then he verbally walked us through our exchange years, from our first steps in Germany to language camp to today. And it was really beautiful. I felt all the emotions that I did when I first experienced those moments, and it was like briefly relieving the nine months that have gone by. We also got back the letters that we wrote at language camp and at Midyear, which was really sweet. And after, we all just went around the room talking about what CBYX meant to us and how we changed and so. And then while saying goodbye and thank you to Gerd, I just started bawling my eyes out. He told me that I really surprised him this year and that he was incredibly proud of me, which drew out all the emotions I was already feeling that day. I was still super teary-eyed as I said goodbye to Lea, who I thanked for everything that she’s done from language camp to today. Most of us were crying by the end of that seminar and it was nice to be there to support each other. We eventually had to head out, so we picked up our luggage and took a shuttle to the Hauptbahnhof. I hugged and said goodbye to Gerd, Lea, and Jodie one more time before heading into the station with everyone.

Gerd and me outside of the train station (featuring my post-crying eyes)

Lea, the best language camp teacher ever and me outside of the station

This exchange year has been one of the most amazing experiences in my entire life. I have so much love for all of my fellow exchange students, advisors, and friends who have been there with me for the ride. I still have one more month left in Germany and I am definitely going to enjoy it. And to everyone that still reads Marc Goes German, thank you; this has been one hell of a ride, and I hope you have enjoyed my written transcript of this crazy adventure called exchange. In late June, our group will meet in Frankfurt for our flight back to Washington, D.C. for the re-entry orientation. Until then, I have a few more blog posts to write, but you’re the real MVP for sticking it out with me for this long. I am headed to Paris on Thursday, so until then!

Cologne’s Fifth Season

This blog post has been long in the making! And by that I mean that it has been sitting in my ‘Unpublished’ tab for about three months. Karneval is this big, wonderful holiday in Germany that’s marked with parades, costumes, and all-around drunken (and for exchange students: alcohol-free) enjoyment. The festivities take place in February but the actual “season” begins on 11 November at 11:11 AM. Now I may be a little bit biased here, but it’s the well-accepted truth: my host city, Köln, does Karneval best. The Karneval vibe in Köln is amazing and I had been waiting to celebrate since I found out my placement. As a native and proud Californian, I enjoyed all the festivities dressed as a hippie: flower hat, John Lennon glasses, and all.

The Karneval celebrations in February began the day after my birthday, so I was already hyped to get straight into the celebrations. Since the big celebrations in Köln are mostly on Rosenmontag, I left town for the weekend to see Drake in Oberhausen! That was incredibly lit, and was only made better when The Weeknd ended up being the special guest. So I did a lot of screaming and sang along rather obnoxiously to Starboy and The Hills. After that wonderful weekend with my good CBYX friend Becky, I headed back to Köln to take part in Rosenmontag with Andy, Sean, and Emma. We got up early, headed to the parade that runs through the entire city, and found a nice spot to celebrate.

Now, to understand the whole Karneval experience, here’s some important tips and German vocabulary:

“Alaaf!”: So in Köln, we have a special dialect called Kölsch that’s really brought out during Karneval. Alaaf is a greeting, and you can use it with all your fellow celebrants throughout Karneval. You’ll sound like a real Kölsche Jung. 😉

“Helau!“: Don’t say this in Köln if you value your life. Just don’t.

Kamelle: If you aren’t screaming this about twenty times per minute, you’re doing Karneval wrong. “Kamelle” is the name for the chocolates and sweets that get thrown at you during the parades. Everyone will be yelling this and your voice will hurt afterwards. I put my heart and soul into it and I had enough chocolate to last me till April. And to go with this:

Tips on receiving an unholy amount of Kamelle:

• Make eye contact! I swear if you look someone in the eyes they will have no choice but to throw some sweets at you.
• Bring a bag. I brought a tote bag and I had enough space for the Rosenmontag parade. Some people take it next level though: I saw a kid at another parade with a storage box. But he was like twelve, so he gets a pass.
• YELL UNTIL YOUR VOCAL CORDS ACHE. IT’S SO WORTH IT.
• Wear a cool costume. If you’re standing there dressed normal, you’ll probably get a few pieces of chocolate. Out of pity.

Some floats in the Karneval throw boxes of chocolate so yell, make eye contact, and then watch out. I got hit in the nose by a corner of one of those boxes at the Rosenmontag parade. But I got to keep the chocolate, so it was worth it.

Strüßjer: “Stroows-yer” is Kölsch for the flowers that (for the most part) women receive at the Karneval parades. A man will usually walk up to a woman, give her a flower, and get a kiss on the cheek back. They are also thrown from the floats. I got one from this awesome lady and it was actually *the sweetest thing ever*.

So with these terms, you should be able to survive the Karneval parades! It was all truly an amazing experience, and made me really, really happy to live in Köln. The festivities, everything from the Kamelle to the Karneval dancers, are awesome and definitely worth attending. Karneval kind of relaxes after Rosenmontag, but there’s still parades in communities around Köln. I went to one on Violet Tuesday, and then by Ash Wednesday all the celebrations were over. I also got sick after celebrating on Monday so I ended up sleeping for about fifteen hours straight when I got home.

If you are in Germany during Karneval season, go! Without a doubt it was one of the highlights of my exchange year. I know I’ll be back sometime and I can’t wait to celebrate Germany’s fifth season in my amazing host city again.

Spring in Sankt Peter-Ording

After flying back from Denmark and spending a few days back in Cologne, my host family and I hit the road for Sankt Peter-Ording in Schleswig-Holstein. SPO is this beautiful resort town right on the North Sea coast, and I was lucky enough to spend the second week of spring break there. We rented a house that was a stone’s throw from the beach and I had one of the most relaxed vacations in my life. I’m used to visiting tourist cities and spending my time running all over the place, so the North Sea was a much-needed change of pace. The air was so, so fresh and the sun was quite nice to us for the entire week.

We hit the beach almost every day, and I spent a lot of time chilling in a beach chair with a view of the sea. And I don’t think I have ever been more relaxed than when I was sitting in one of those chairs, feet out, Will Grayson, Will Grayson in hand, with Danish butter cookies right next to me. The water is hella cold, so instead we went to a water park in town and I conquered my fear of that slide-thingy that you stand in with your arms crossed and await the inevitable. We did awesome little activities throughout the week but relaxed for most of the time. I particularly enjoyed our trip to Westerhever Lighthouse, because I have never actually seen one before. From the top we had a stunning view of the sea and the surrounding towns.

That week in Schleswig-Holstein was really great, and I was super satisfied with how my spring break turned out. I spent one week exploring a big city, and the next relaxing in a small one. The Berlin seminar is coming up in two weeks! I still find it hard to believe that we’re down to our last two months in Germany and that I’ll be back home in California before I know it. I also think a lot on how I am going to pack my suitcases, considering they were already the weight limit when I flew to Germany. I guess I’ll find out soon!

Coping Well in Copenhagen

For the first half of spring break, I flew up north and spent a few days with my mom in Copenhagen! We were there with my Aunt Connie, who is not-really-my-aunt but basically-my-aunt because my mom and her have been pen pals since high school. She has visited us in California before, but this was our first time meeting in Europe and visiting her. I had such an amazing time and I left with a new love for Denmark.

My mom and I at The Round Tower, Europe’s oldest functioning observatory. Felt really great to be reunited after eight months!

The great view of Copenhagen from The Round Tower, definitely worth the uphill battle to get there.

Super delicious Thai food on our first night in Denmark. The food was actually spicy AF, which was a nice change.

Tivoli Gardens on our first day! We watched a Pierrot pantomime show, rode a ferris wheel, and explored the park into the night.

Gefion Fountain, featuring the Norse goddess Gefjon and the mythical story of how the island Zealand was created.

We had the chance to walk around Kastellet one cloudy afternoon. Although it’s a functioning military fortress, you can walk around the grounds.

Amalienborg, home of the Danish royal family! I haven’t met them but I heard that they are pretty cool.

Changing of the guards at Amalienborg. They march down from Rosenborg Palace every day, and are accompanied with music when the Queen is at Amalienborg.

Rosenborg Palace, originally built as Christian IV’s summerhouse in 1606. I unfortunately do not own it for the rest of the year.

Smørrebrød, one of the greatest Danish foods EVER. It’s essentially an open-faced sandwich with rye bread (rugbrød) and the topping (pålæg) of your choice. I had liver pâté with mushrooms and bacon. So delicious, so worth it.

Nyhavn in Copenhagen’s harbor district. We did a boat tour through here and the waters around Copenhagen on our second day.

The Little Mermaid. The general consensus is that she is pretty overhyped, but still worth a visit. I think she’s not super happy because of the industrialization going on behind her.

The iconic Danish hot dog. There are pølsevogn (hot dog carts) all over town. A røde pølser (red sausage), fried and raw onion, ketchup, Danish mustard, and sliced dill cucumbers. Drunk food at its finest.

My mom and I at Kronborg Castle in Helsingør, Denmark. The castle is seriously amazing, and served as the inspiration for Elsinore in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Kronborg tops my “cool castles” list without a doubt. 10/10.

Aunt Connie and my mom at the coast of Kronborg Castle. Also pictured: Sweden, in the background.

H.C. Andersen’s House in my aunt’s city, Odense. The house and museum are both really interesting, and Odense itself is a beautiful town.

Amsterdam

Ever since I read this amazing little book called The Fault in Our Stars a few years ago, I have been absolutely dying to come to Amsterdam. But back then, the beautiful city of canals and stroopwafels was a ten-hour flight away. Today though? It’s a three-hour train ride and I finally had the chance to go!

To kick off the day, we visited a landmark in the heart of the city, Museum Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder. The museum is a preserved 17th-century canal house with a secret Catholic church in the attic, called Our Dear Lord in the Attic. The church dates back to 1663, when Catholics were prohibited to celebrate mass. The entire home was fascinating and the hidden church is stunning.

The canals outside of the Museum Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder

Not pictured: My slight fear of falling into the canal

Afterwards, we made our way to Dam Square and the Royal Palace. As typical for Amsterdam, the skies started pouring with rain right as we made it. Fortunately I found a neat umbrella with Van Gogh’s Starry Night Over the Rhône at the souvenir shop. Throughout the day I absolutely could not get enough of the canals.

How much more Amsterdam can you ask for?

Emma, myself, and those famous canals

And now the landmark that I have been looking forward to ever since I found out it was real: The Fault in Our Stars bench! I am admittedly a huge TFiOS fan; I went to the Night Before Our Stars prescreening and even made my own “Okay? Okay.” painting. SO THIS WAS MAJOR FOR ME. We found the bench right along a canal, and it’s adored with love locks and writing from people around the world. I have been dreaming of coming to Amsterdam ever since, and seeing the bench where Augustus and Hazel had their moment was cry-worthy.

“You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I’m grateful.”

Our next stop for the day was the Van Gogh Museum! On the way we stopped by the Rijiksmuseum and took everyone’s favorite group photo by the iamsterdam letters. The Van Gogh museum is so, so beautiful; we had the chance to see many of his popular works, from The Potato Eaters to Self-Portrait as a Painter and Almond Blossom. Another special part of the visit was getting to see two paintings: View of the Sea at Scheveningen and Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen. Excluding their significance as some of van Gogh’s earliest works, the two paintings have been missing for fourteen years! They were recently recovered in Italy, and it was a pleasure to see them in Amsterdam.

My cool umbrella with van Gogh’s Starry Night Over the Rhône

And after a long day of walking, we ended the day with a beautiful cruise through the canals. The air was so fresh and the view was so pretty that we decided to sit outside and take in everything. Seeing Amsterdam from a new perspective made me love the city even more.

This is essentially my new profile picture for *everything*

A Day in the Life: CBYX Edition

When I applied for CBYX, I was really interested in the day-to-day life of an exchange student. Now that I am experiencing being an exchange student first hand, I thought that I could give my personal take on a day in the life.

6:30 AM: Well, some things never change. I have an alarm set for 6:15 but I always change it to 6:30 in my half-conscious state. This isn’t super different from my routine back in California, and who doesn’t everyone appreciate an extra fifteen minutes? With sixteen different classes I have the joy of repacking my backpack every day. But at this point I basically have it down to a science.

6:45 AM: Breakfast! On a school day, the typical German breakfast is cereal, oatmeal, or fruit salad. The whole spread of bread, meats, cheeses, jams and such is for when everyone has time to sit down and enjoy breakfast. I always pair my breakfast with our city’s newspaper, the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.

7:45 AM: Fun fact: I learned how to ride a bike here in Germany! The bike culture just got the best of me. I bike to school with my host brother every morning and the commute is roughly 1.4 miles and ten minutes long.

8:00 AM: Class begins, and runs till 1:15 PM on Tuesday/Friday and 3:30 PM on Monday/Wednesday/Thursday. Every class is ninety minutes, and this made me appreciate the length of classes in the States. An hour and a half is a really long time to stay focused, especially when learning in German. But as the year passed and I learned more of the language, I was able to feel more involved and eager to participate.

During my class breaks I usually pick up a snack from the bakery or walk around. Cell phones are not allowed on campus, which was admittedly a major change. But everyone uses them anyway in a hilariously sneaky fashion. For lunch, I either eat at the cafeteria or at the döner restaurant off-campus. I pay about $4 for a school lunch, which is actually worth it because the food is cooked fresh and tastes amazing.

3:30 PM: After biking home, I usually head into downtown Köln and chill. Sometimes I’ll grab lunch or meet up with Cologne Crew, the fellow CBYX students that live in this awesome city. When the weather is friendly, I like to have coffee and cake outside and embody that European café lifestyle. Or check out a museum. Or go shopping. I always have something to do after school, which is one of the major bonuses of living in a big city.

6:30 PM: On Monday and Friday, I play badminton at another local high school. Sport clubs in Germany usually come with a membership or practice fee, but when the coach found out I was an American exchange student, he told me I could train and play for free. So I learned that there are a few perks to being an American in Germany.

8:00 PM: Dinner with my host family! The food is always delicious and we like to talk about everything from daily happenings to current events and future plans. Dinner is everyone’s chance to catch up and have a good laugh. We usually eat at a different time every day, because we each all have activities throughout the week. On weekends I occasionally have dinner in the city with Cologne Crew after hanging out.

10:00 PM-12:00 AM: This time is usually spent on Netflix. Not as many shows as back in the States, but right now I have been enjoying a few different Netflix originals. I also write blogs around this hour and shuffle my Spotify playlist. And of course, I fall asleep.

Every exchange student has a different daily routine, but this is mine. While you are down here, I want to share an important issue with you. President Trump’s recently suggested budget cuts to the Department of State will unfortunately affect cultural exchange programs like Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange and the National Security Language Initiative. CBYX has been a life-changing experience for me, and the chance to study abroad is an opportunity that should be available to everyone for years to come. My program, Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange, grants full-ride scholarships for 250 American high school students to study for a year in Germany. Programs like these are necessary in maintaining U.S. relations and promoting grassroots diplomacy through ambassadorship and cultural exchange. Because of this, I ask that you sign this petition to the House of Representatives and help in the fight to preserve important exchange programs like CBYX and NSLI.

Do Not Reduce or Eliminate Funding for the U.S. Department of State’s ECE Programs