"Home"
My new home in Freiburg im Breisgau is the in area known as Vauban, along Merzhausen Strasse. The dormitories (More like multi-bedroom flats) used to be army barracks, and since being built in the 1920's have housed the French army, the Nazi army, the squatting hippie population, and now University students. Currently under renovation, the buildings are very simple and have the basic amenities required. I have a large 3rd floor room (it's the 2nd floor in Germany) which I share with one roommate, Ben Thorne. The room is modestly outfitted with beds, cabinets, and desks. I've got a bathroom that measures approximately 3x5 (yes, that's the sink, toilet, and shower. An interesting fact - All the dorms in this area are powered with solar power, and I have solar panels on the roof of my building.
My flatmates (whom I've met thusfar) - Michael, Felix, Pilar (pronounced Pee-lu) from Spain, Lara have all been very nice and welcoming, and willing to help when Ben or I need it. The German university semester ends in early February and break continues for about 6 weeks, so Ben and I will have the place mostly to ourselves.
Shopping in cooking in Germany thus far has been much the same as in the US, the only difference is that I can't understand the words on the packaging! But I'm quickly learning the important words. The other major difference is that everything comes in smaller portions, so therefore Germans buy less, but more often. And since the store is only 300meters away, that's not a big challenge for me.
Nearby, we also have the hippie commune, which was given to them by the city after they were pushed out of the student dorms. There is also a group of squatters on the land near the Tram station that has been there for over a year in protest of a commercial building that was going to be built on the same land. "Kommando Rhino" has caused some new city policies, such as disallowing building on "green" (previously un-developed) land.
IES Center and Classes
The IES Center, or Villa Gleichenstein, which was built in 1882, is my 2nd home and where I take all of my classes. The center has been recently renovated and is now a beautiful building which sits on the corner and is surrounded by a wonderful garden. The center is very close to downtown Freiburg and only a few minutes walk from shops, bars, restaurants, and public transportation. The center has brand new video equipment for classrooms and is quite comfortably furnished, most likely all with Ikea furniture!
So far we have only had 2 courses, as we are still in the "intensive orientation" phase of the program. We have German language, and our Political Science seminar. The German class is challenging, yet very interesting, and I am quickly picking up lots of important words and phrases (like how to ask for telephone numbers!). In our seminar we are just starting with the history, setup, and functions of the European Union, but as this will be the basis for most of the semester, and later the Model EU, it is good information to know! Not unlike school in the US, my courses have plenty of reading and homework involved, I guess there is no escaping it! Other classes begin on Monday, February 1st, after we return from Berlin & Prague.
The trip to Berlin & Prague is one of the 3 included trips during the IES program. These trips, along with several smaller day trips will help us gain a greater cultural and functional understanding of the EU. The 3 trips are: Berlin & Prague; EU Institutions in Brussels, Luxembourg, Paris, and Strasbourg; and 1 of 3 options in either Northern, Southern, or SE Europe.
Freiburg
Freiburg is a beautiful city with lots to see and a wonderful feel to it. It is a large city by German standards, with around 214,000 residents, and is the 4th largest city in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Freiburg is also known as Germany's "sunniest" city, though as of yet I've only seen the sun once! The city has a number of "green" initatives, that have earned it the name Green City, the ruling party in Freiburg is the Green Party.
Getting around in Freiburg is a very simple task, public transport is literally everywhere. Just a few steps from my flat there is a tram that will take me downtown, the train station, or to other locations around town. There is also a vast bus system that serves many surrounding areas. And of course, when I need to get out of Freiburg the Deutsche Bahn trains will take me anywhere in Germany.
There are a number of sights to see around Freiburg and lots of places to go. The Black Forest is only about 15 min walk from my dormitory, allowing me to get out into the wild and away from civilization very easily. The local Münster Cathedral was completed in the 14th Century and dominates the main city square. The downtown area has many shops and restaurants through the narrow alleys, and back streets. The city center, at Bertoldsbrunnen, is surrounded by department stores, bakeries, and is constantly filled with people. There is no vehicle traffic (aside from service vehicles) through downtown Freiburg, and only pedestrians, bikes, and the tram come through the area.
Outside the city there are many villages. One village we visited was Staufen, which we visited to see a local festival and parade, as well as walk to the local Castle ruins were we could see the land for miles around and even see across the Rhine River into France.
Within Freiburg there are many excellent cafes, bars, and restaurants where you can have a drink or a bite. The local beers "Ganter" and "Rothaus" are to be found everywhere and are quite excellent. On most evenings students can be found in the bars and clubs (Discotek) chatting or relaxing.
Life in Freiburg is generally relaxed and simple, and while the people here are always working and doing things there always seems to be time to sit down and have a Bier with friends.
That is it for now. More posts to follow soon. Thank you all!
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