Summerfest Post

So this past week was the Goethe Sommerfest, which was a big party/talent show. Here's some videos of all the action.

An overview of all of the events, and mine and Caroline's entire Piano Duet:



Oussama and Salim's whole rap:


The complete Zivi Ballet and then the time we spent at the Jakobimarkt Fair



ENjoy, okay?

The last two weeks....

Whoops

Sorry guys but I sort of forgot all about this here blog. Good to see that Caroline has posted a few times.

There's going to be at least 3 new videos in the next day or so, and I'll try and link to my photo albums on facebook because it's a pain in the butt to upload them here as well.

Everything's been going great though! My sister Natalie came and visited for the last week and we took some cool trips.

Only 11 more days here in Germany and then this blog stops getting updated for good.

Fahrradtour

We (Lindsay and I) went on a bike tour around Schwaebisch Hall. It was really pretty and lots of fun. Here's some video from it put to some goofy Germany music.

Berlin pictures

There are too many pictures from Berlin (2 weekends ago) to post here, so go here to look at them on Facebook. If the link doesn't show up, here it is again, but just as text. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=235813&id=541180287

Berlin! Part 2 of 2 and more!

Updates and Highlights

Hello Everyone!!!!

It's been a long time since we've done a written update, so here's one for you! We started our second session of classes today. Jon and Lindsay are now in B.2.1 with Jochen, my teacher from last session. I'm now in B.2.2 with Ralf - a new teacher this session. He's pretty much like a German Mr. Feeny (from Boy Meets World) and I like him a lot so far. Also, he's retired and teaches in the summers for fun, so he really likes what he's doing. Also also, he spent his career training German teachers, so I'm really excited to learn from him. Jon (or maybe Lindsay if she ever posts again) can tell you about their new class soon.


Here's some highlights from last weekend (Eisenach, Wittenberg, and Berlin). Watch the videos that Jon posted too.

In Eisenach, we went to the Bachhaus - the house where Johann Sebastian Bach was born. It was really cool and the museum there had a lot of interesting things. Jon kept making lame jokes the whole time (see the video).



Some of the items in the museum's collection were amazing. Like this one, an original copy of some of C.P.E. Bach's (J.S. Bach's son and a pretty famous composer himself) editions of J.S. Bach's works

Or this, the only existing copy of the liberetti that was the basis for Bach's St. Mark Passion

Or this, a booklet for Mendelsson's first performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion with an admission ticket handwritten by Mendelssohn.

Also, Bach liked to collect writings from Martin Luther, like this collection of his sermons


After the Bachhaus, we hiked up to the Wartburg Castle, which is where Luther translated the New Testament from Latin to German.

There were some original paintings and etchings of Luther by Lucas Cranach the Elder like these:



This is the Wartburg Bible - Luther's translation with his handwriting in it.

This is the room in which Luther translated the New Testament.


After Eisenach, we went to Wittenberg (where we were homeless for the night - watch the video for more details). However, of all the cities we've visited, Wittenberg was the best one to spend the night on the streets. It was really quiet and we only saw like to other people night. Also, we got to hang out in front of the doors of the Castle Church for a few hours, where Luther is said to have nailed the 95 Theses.


Here's the doors in the morning


Ok, it's time to go to the Biergarten. I'll put up some Berlin highlights later.

Berlin! Part 1 of 2

Some new vlogs from the last week or so

2 more on the way as soon as they finish uploading!

Then a long overdue picture and text post before the night is out