Our time in Münster has come to a close. I cannot believe how fast it went. We came to Münster not knowing our host families, the bus system, the bike lanes, or where the book store was. And now we are leaving with knowing where the good and cheap bakeries and coffee shops are and to stay off the red paths unless riding a bike. We went from freezing cold weather in Hamburg to getting sunburned in Munich. So many memories were made, but the end has come. We all enjoyed our time abroad, but are ready to be reunited with our family and friends.
Our last group trip to Munich was amazing. We had beautiful weather and enjoyed a few of the sights. As a group we went to the National Socialism Document Center, the Olympia Center, the Residenz, the Deutches Museum, and lastly the zoo. We also split into two groups for one day as some students wanted to go to Regensburg and others wanted to go see the beautiful Neuschwanstein Castle. As the end of the school year approaches, a lot of us are happy to be in Münster to study and enjoy time with our host families.
This past weekend we had an extended break due to Tag der Arbeit. Several students took advantage of the few extra days off and traveled. Some destinations included: Newcastle, Ukraine, Eindoven, and Edinburgh. Also, some students stayed in Munster and enjoyed spending time with their host families. As for Kia and I, we headed to London and met Erin who is studying abroad with the Luther group in Malta. Unfortunately, the weather in London was not the best, but we made the most of it and, of course, went to several of the classic tourist sites.
During the second half of our group trip to Berlin, we spent one day in Postdam, one day seeing and discussing memorials to those persecuted under the Nazi Regime, and one day at Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. As our focus in Paideia is on the ethics behind memorials, our tours were more centered on this topic which provided many of us with a different perspective on things.
While most of the Luther student body trudged to class through the snow, our Münster group had unbelievably beautiful weather for our week in Berlin! Since we did so much in Berlin, there will be two different blogs as not to bombard readers with too much information.
For spring break, CJ and I decided to go explore Ireland. We had an amazing trip if you don't include our constant struggle with Ireland's public transportation system. We spent a few days in Dublin, Galway, and Killarney. While in Dublin we ate at The Temple Bar, which had some pretty amazing sandwiches. In Galway, we had the chance to bike the Aran Islands and explore the Cliffs of Moher. We then went down to Killarney, and found the little mountains of Ireland. It was beautiful and again we had the opportunity to bike, but this time through Killarney National Park. It was truly a spring break to remember, if you ask me!
The last couple of weeks have been very stressful for most of us, but we finally made it to spring break. We only have about two more months here in Münster, which is crazy. This past week I embraced true German culture and attended my first European soccer game at Dortmund. It was a blast, and I enjoyed the chants and people yelling at both the refs and players in German. I also attended a university volleyball game, which was super fun and interesting at the same time. Lastly, I wanted to mention our group trip to Lübeck while in Hamburg. Nothing says Lübeck more than marzipan and the Holsten Gate (Holstentor).
For the past week the whole group has been exploring Hamburg. We were lucky to have a few days of sunshine, but most days we stayed bundled up in our coats and scarves. We had the opportunity to do several things while we were there including touring St. Nicholas' Church, Miniatur Wunderland, the Elbphilharmonie, the Museum for Hamburg History, and a Jewish cemetery. Also, naturally, we went on a boat ride as Hamburg is definitely known for its harbor! Overall, our trip to Hamburg was very enjoyable for everyone.
A weekend trip to Brussels was well worth the 5-hour bus ride. We saw and experienced a gamut of things in and around the city center including: Manneken Pis, the Grand Square, waffles, chocolate, and a beer tasting. To anyone who has a free weekend, I would highly recommend taking a visit; I have heard if you have an extra day that taking the train to Ghent is also delightful.
The start of the semester here in Münster has been full of learning experiences. We are definitely being immersed in the German culture and the overall way of life here!
