My "2 month break" is wrapping down, but looking back on it I can say it was amazing. Just last week I got back from Spain, where my Mom and I had a great time. We rented a car and first went to Salamanca, where I had previously studied in High School. It was awesome to be back, show my Mom my old hang out places, and meet up with my host family. After spending some time in Salamanca, we went down to Sevilla for the processions. Processions are huge religious parades where the members of these so called "secret societies" cover their faces and march with large floats of Jesus. Here is a picture: http://www.npjcruzacuestas.org/img/fotografia/procesiones1_grande.jpg (taken from the internet, not mine). It was at first amazing to see SO many people and SO much passion for what they believed in. The amazement died down for us after hours of moving through crowds. People were more packed into that city than anything I've ever seen. Absolutely unbelievable. We then head up to Cordoba, where we saw the "Mezquita de Cordoba". The mosque was built when the Muslims had control of southern Spain and was then reformed into what is now a Catholic Church. Spain's history and culture are amazing. The preservation of the old buildings has left Spain, in my opinion, as the country that most takes you back in time. I think everyone has to visit Spain at least once before they die.
After spending my summer there in High School and after this last trip, I can say that I love Spain. While there, I was thinking about the contrasts between Spain and Germany, and boy there are a ton...
1. German's are extremely punctual, practical, and driven. If there is a task to be done, it will be done ASAP. Of course there are lazy people here, but the general German attitude is one of intensity for getting things done. Spaniards have a lot more "chill" way of life. Spaniards tend to put everything for "manana" and sit back, enjoy their nice weather, and sit and laugh. Of course, too, there are plenty of hard working Spaniards.
2. People are for sure friendlier and appear much happier in Spain. In Bavaria, the people are known for being open and friendly, but generally speaking, I consider people from Spain a lot more amiable. One could say that maybe Spaniards are more superficial, but the openess and happy people is an aspect of Spain that I really like.
3. In Spain, we felt like we were getting ripped off a lot. I should rephrase that, we DID get ripped off a lot. I was very critical in making sure I checked all of the prices, and at LEAST 1nce a day we would be charged more than we should have been. I would have to go up and talk to the guy in Spanish and he would apologize for his "mistake". I'm sure that happens sometimes in Germany, but I feel that the people (especially in Munich) are extremely honest. I have had friends lose their wallets and they got them back; I've had friends undercharged for food or drinks and they always go back up and pay the extra money; and I am amazed that the Munich metro is all on an honors system.
All in all, the mix of both cultures have been really good for me. I see the two as a clash of smiling and laughing Spaniards who works little as more serious looking Germans who are very honest and hard working. Each have their own goods and bads.
Well, hope you've enjoyed this blog for today. Bis spaeter!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Beginning of good weather, end of exams
One more exams and I'll be done with first semester! The good news is that so far, exams have gone surprisingly well. I think I have passed all of them but we'll have to see...Tomorrow I have my last Klausur (German for "final) and it's an oral exam about physical geography. It's so weird how it's been learning physical geography in German. At the beginning I would have to translate the word from German-->English, then look up in the dictionary what is meant in English! After a semester of hard work, I am confident about my exam.
I was taking a look at my earlier posts, and saw that I said "I understand my teachers about 60%". It is such a good feeling looking back at that, becuase I know understand everything besides technical words or idiomatic phrases--in other words, about 90%. Learning a language is a sort of unconscious process, in which you don't realize how much your language skills progress. I am hoping that second semester brings me even further towards being fluent.
After tomorrow, I'll have two months of traveling and relaxing. I am still working at Siemens, but it will only be a couple days so I am able to travel. So far the plans are Serbia, Spain, and Holland where I will be staying with friends who I met in Munich. That's an awesome part about studying abroad--meeting international kids who can show you first hand their countries when you visit them. I, of course, have opened my doors to whoever passes through Virginia. I have to say that i'm really excited about going to Serbia. Besides Mexico or Canada, it will be the first country I will have had gone to out of the EU. I'm going to make it a priority to read up on it before I go.
Other than my trips, I'm looking forward to enjoying the nice weather that is coming. Wandern (hiking) trips, hanging out in the English Garden, and biking through the city are going to fill my agenda for the next two months..I can't wait.
One again, if your reading this and have any questions please feel free to send me an e-mail: thomas9@vt.edu. I'd be able to answer most of your questions in terms of studying in Germany or Munich.
Bis die Tage,
Tommy
I was taking a look at my earlier posts, and saw that I said "I understand my teachers about 60%". It is such a good feeling looking back at that, becuase I know understand everything besides technical words or idiomatic phrases--in other words, about 90%. Learning a language is a sort of unconscious process, in which you don't realize how much your language skills progress. I am hoping that second semester brings me even further towards being fluent.
After tomorrow, I'll have two months of traveling and relaxing. I am still working at Siemens, but it will only be a couple days so I am able to travel. So far the plans are Serbia, Spain, and Holland where I will be staying with friends who I met in Munich. That's an awesome part about studying abroad--meeting international kids who can show you first hand their countries when you visit them. I, of course, have opened my doors to whoever passes through Virginia. I have to say that i'm really excited about going to Serbia. Besides Mexico or Canada, it will be the first country I will have had gone to out of the EU. I'm going to make it a priority to read up on it before I go.
Other than my trips, I'm looking forward to enjoying the nice weather that is coming. Wandern (hiking) trips, hanging out in the English Garden, and biking through the city are going to fill my agenda for the next two months..I can't wait.
One again, if your reading this and have any questions please feel free to send me an e-mail: thomas9@vt.edu. I'd be able to answer most of your questions in terms of studying in Germany or Munich.
Bis die Tage,
Tommy
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Impressions of Siemens
Exams just began and I am currently writing in the middle of my studying hiatus. Last week I started my internship at Siemens, which so far has been going great (office German has however been somewhat tough). It couldn't be a better situation: great people, flexible working days (just 2ce a week), and some extra pocket change for traveling this summer. The internship will fill my two month "holiday" break and roll over a little into my second semester. Directly after it's over it should be warm here again which means biking, swimming in the English Garden, beer gardens, and live music.
My job has different tasks, all of which are in German. They really are nothing special and may bore you, but I will share a little about my impressions of the German working world.
--When you walk into an office or see a co-worker, it's not normal to ask how they are doing. How are you doing in German isn't superficial as it is in English and often expects a long/thought over answer.
--As for my division of Siemens, you put in your daily hours, you work hard, and you go home. In the States, we follow more or less a fixed schedule, where as I as well as my co-workers can come in from 6-9 and leave anytime before 8 PM as long as they fill their hours.
--VERY straightforward-->Even the nicest people who I work with will tell me bluntly what I need to do right and what I should not do. Their e-mails are polite, but get right to the point. Some told me that when they were learning English, it was very hard during the writing a letter chapter because their teacher told them that in English we add "softener" sentences-->exp: "I hope your weekend was nice", "I hope you've been good"--in Germany you may have that sometimes but very rarely in the workplace
As for my exams: Tuesday, Friday, the next Tuesday and the next following Wed. will be all about Language, Physical Geography, Anthropology, and Management..
My job has different tasks, all of which are in German. They really are nothing special and may bore you, but I will share a little about my impressions of the German working world.
--When you walk into an office or see a co-worker, it's not normal to ask how they are doing. How are you doing in German isn't superficial as it is in English and often expects a long/thought over answer.
--As for my division of Siemens, you put in your daily hours, you work hard, and you go home. In the States, we follow more or less a fixed schedule, where as I as well as my co-workers can come in from 6-9 and leave anytime before 8 PM as long as they fill their hours.
--VERY straightforward-->Even the nicest people who I work with will tell me bluntly what I need to do right and what I should not do. Their e-mails are polite, but get right to the point. Some told me that when they were learning English, it was very hard during the writing a letter chapter because their teacher told them that in English we add "softener" sentences-->exp: "I hope your weekend was nice", "I hope you've been good"--in Germany you may have that sometimes but very rarely in the workplace
As for my exams: Tuesday, Friday, the next Tuesday and the next following Wed. will be all about Language, Physical Geography, Anthropology, and Management..
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Late Posting
Sorry I have not posted anything in a long time. I really need to start getting in a regular habit of blogging.
December came and flew by. December in Munich means the beggining of short and cold days, and the smell of tests and work coming up in January and Feb. December also means Christmas markets, Glühwein, and Gemütlichkeit. First let me explain what Glühwein and Gemütlichkeit are. Glühwein is hot wine that can be bought from little stands at the many different Christmas markets in Munich. It is sweet and really warms you up from the cold. Many locals go to get Glühwein to stand outside and talk about their lives. Gemütlichkeit doesnt have a translation in English. It carries a meaning that is similar to coziness by being with people you know well and dont have to impress, telling stories and laughing--a happy and warm way of life. Gemütlichkeit is a big part of Bavarian lifestyle.
Also in December I was fortunate enough to be able to go back to the States. It was great to see my family and friends, hear my own accent and speak my own langauge, and have time to just relax. With that said, I am very happy to be back in Germany because there are too many goals that I have not fulfilled that I am looking forward to doing.
After my exams in February, I start with an internship at Siemens. Becuase Siemens is one of the largest companies in Germany, and located in Munich, it makes since that I work for them above anyone else (well, BMW may have also been a good choice..) I am looking forward to starting with them, although I have no clue what I will be doing.
I better go and get working on my Referat. A Referat is somewhat like a presentation on a topic that is going to be taught in the class, and is somewhat like an introduction to the subject. Two other Germans and I are giving the Referat on Tuesday on Leerstandmanagement--an esoteric topic on Vacancy Management. I am really nervous for it, as the whole thing is in German, but after this week I will feel good about having everything out of the way.
Liebe Grüße,
Tommy
December came and flew by. December in Munich means the beggining of short and cold days, and the smell of tests and work coming up in January and Feb. December also means Christmas markets, Glühwein, and Gemütlichkeit. First let me explain what Glühwein and Gemütlichkeit are. Glühwein is hot wine that can be bought from little stands at the many different Christmas markets in Munich. It is sweet and really warms you up from the cold. Many locals go to get Glühwein to stand outside and talk about their lives. Gemütlichkeit doesnt have a translation in English. It carries a meaning that is similar to coziness by being with people you know well and dont have to impress, telling stories and laughing--a happy and warm way of life. Gemütlichkeit is a big part of Bavarian lifestyle.
Also in December I was fortunate enough to be able to go back to the States. It was great to see my family and friends, hear my own accent and speak my own langauge, and have time to just relax. With that said, I am very happy to be back in Germany because there are too many goals that I have not fulfilled that I am looking forward to doing.
After my exams in February, I start with an internship at Siemens. Becuase Siemens is one of the largest companies in Germany, and located in Munich, it makes since that I work for them above anyone else (well, BMW may have also been a good choice..) I am looking forward to starting with them, although I have no clue what I will be doing.
I better go and get working on my Referat. A Referat is somewhat like a presentation on a topic that is going to be taught in the class, and is somewhat like an introduction to the subject. Two other Germans and I are giving the Referat on Tuesday on Leerstandmanagement--an esoteric topic on Vacancy Management. I am really nervous for it, as the whole thing is in German, but after this week I will feel good about having everything out of the way.
Liebe Grüße,
Tommy
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Classlife at LMU
As for all of my classes, I'm really enjoying them. They are all tough to understand, but I'm making my way through it. My one "Ubung", there is 25 other kids and I and we are forced to talk about what we have learned in lecture. I find it my hardest class because I'm constantly forced to discuss the things that I didn't understand well! Fortunately, the teacher is very understanding as are the other kids in class. They all are supportive and help me with homework and translating things.
This past Saturday I took "the free tour" of Munich which I found really good. For 2 months I have been walking around the city with limited knowledge of the history, and now that I know more about it, I will feel more connected and aware as I pass by certain places. While walking through the city, I noted how much Christmas stuff was starting to go up. I can already tell that the holiday season will be very traditional.
By the way, if your reading any of this and would like some questions answered, feel free to email me
This past Saturday I took "the free tour" of Munich which I found really good. For 2 months I have been walking around the city with limited knowledge of the history, and now that I know more about it, I will feel more connected and aware as I pass by certain places. While walking through the city, I noted how much Christmas stuff was starting to go up. I can already tell that the holiday season will be very traditional.
By the way, if your reading any of this and would like some questions answered, feel free to email me
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Berlin
My friend and I decided last week that we wanted to meet my brother (who studies right across the bride from Copenhagen in Sweden) in Berlin. The train tickets in Germany are not bad when you buy them a month or too in advanced, but are ridiculously high when you last minute plan. Airfare in Europe is random and rather weird too--sometimes you can fly with a cheap airline for 10-30 Euro round trip and sometimes the same ticket will cost you 100-150 Euro. I finally found the solution to cheap, last minute travel in Germany. A website called Mitfahrgelegenheit.de allows you to search "rides" from your city to your final destination. The ride giver puts the amount he wants, the time he leaves, and his phone number to set up a meeting point. The website allowed us to go round trip to Berlin for about 50E, which beats the heck out of the 200 Euro train price we would have paid! If you do use the website, make sure you make an account so you can check out the person's profile who you ride with. I would also recommend you talk to him or her on the phone and find out more about the person to be safe.
Berlin was a great time. I was able to meet up with my fellow Hokies who are studying at our Swiss Campus in Riva San Vitale which was comforting to be with Americans again. We saw a lot, met cool people, and I was able to joke again in my mother language. I'd say that one of the hardest things about learning a language is not being able to joke. Jokes normally come quickly and out of the blue, and if your constantly trying to think before you talk, you rarely think of jokes. Something that surprised me about Berlin was how cheap it is. Granted, I study in the most expensive cities in Germany, but EVERYTHING, even in the tourist areas, was inexpensive. I was definitely happy to come back to Munich though. I love to travel and have had some good trips to Prague, Salzburg, and Berlin, but every time I get back to Munich I always am happy to be back. The city is too clean, too efficient, and too "gemütlich" to not be happy to come back.
So, some tips if you study here: check out mitfahrgelegenheit.de
Berlin was a great time. I was able to meet up with my fellow Hokies who are studying at our Swiss Campus in Riva San Vitale which was comforting to be with Americans again. We saw a lot, met cool people, and I was able to joke again in my mother language. I'd say that one of the hardest things about learning a language is not being able to joke. Jokes normally come quickly and out of the blue, and if your constantly trying to think before you talk, you rarely think of jokes. Something that surprised me about Berlin was how cheap it is. Granted, I study in the most expensive cities in Germany, but EVERYTHING, even in the tourist areas, was inexpensive. I was definitely happy to come back to Munich though. I love to travel and have had some good trips to Prague, Salzburg, and Berlin, but every time I get back to Munich I always am happy to be back. The city is too clean, too efficient, and too "gemütlich" to not be happy to come back.
So, some tips if you study here: check out mitfahrgelegenheit.de
Monday, October 26, 2009
Life at LMU
For the last week, I have been trying to get my head around how things work here at LMU and Germany for that. I'll start off listing some of the differences and my thoughts on them:
1. You don't register for most classes. You just go. I love the idea of this, but there is just some security to having your name on the class register that ensures you that you are actually going to get credits. For the classes you do register for, you must sign up only a week in advanced and can e-mail the professor if you forget the date.
2. All the courses are in German. I would say that I now understand about 60% of everything my teachers say, and am confident that in a month, I'll understand almost all of it. Lack of confidence and laziness is the only reason why people don't succeed in learning a language. On this trip, I've met people who tried one language and failed miserably, but are doing great with German. If your one of those people who had trouble with one language and think that your "mind" is not like that, try another language and you'll be surprised.
3. The school is about 65% girls. A big change from Tech's 40%
I'm sorry I've been so short on this..I've got a lot to do now, but when I get back to blogging i'll tell you about Berlin and my weekend
1. You don't register for most classes. You just go. I love the idea of this, but there is just some security to having your name on the class register that ensures you that you are actually going to get credits. For the classes you do register for, you must sign up only a week in advanced and can e-mail the professor if you forget the date.
2. All the courses are in German. I would say that I now understand about 60% of everything my teachers say, and am confident that in a month, I'll understand almost all of it. Lack of confidence and laziness is the only reason why people don't succeed in learning a language. On this trip, I've met people who tried one language and failed miserably, but are doing great with German. If your one of those people who had trouble with one language and think that your "mind" is not like that, try another language and you'll be surprised.
3. The school is about 65% girls. A big change from Tech's 40%
I'm sorry I've been so short on this..I've got a lot to do now, but when I get back to blogging i'll tell you about Berlin and my weekend
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