An Aestival Advent

Today is June 24. On July 24 I'm flying home. Roughly four weeks, so I figured calling this an "aestival advent" seemed appropriate. I also liked the assonance - it's catchy. It's hard to imagine that in a month, I'll be on my way home. I've got a lot of do and accomplish before coming home in a month. The past few days are a good example of how busy I've been recently and how busy I'll be in the upcoming weeks ahead.

On Tuesday, I accompanied Amanda - a friend from Millersville - and a few other Millersville students to Cologne to visit her parents who are doing a cruise down the Rhein. Cologne is home to a magnificent cathedral, started in 1248 but not completely finished until 1880.

Der Kölner Dom - The Cologne Cathedral
The cathedral's claim to fame is the that it houses an ossuary shrine for the Three Kings. I remember reading a book about the golden box that allegedly contains their bones (fiction), and having the chance to visit made that seem a bit more "alive."

The Golden ossuary shrine of the Three Kings in the Kölner Dom
The cathedral wasn't as I pictured it in my mind, but it was nonetheless fantastic. And being so close to the bones of the magi was in and of itself a thrill - even if I don't get points in heaven for doing so. (It's hard to believe that the bones are actually interred there, but it's fun to think about anyhow.)

As for the rest of the city of Cologne, it was a bit of a disappointment. I find Marburg to be a lot nicer. The Allies bombed Cologne in WWII, and since it's been rebuilt. You can tell that from way the city looks today. It's rather "modern" and lacks the German charm that a lot of other cities have. Frankfurt is a lot nicer, in my opinion. Germans whom I tell that I find Frankfurt nicer that Cologne say that it's simply because the skyline in Frankfurt resembles an American skyline. As a play on this fact, Frankfurt is called Mainhatten, given the fact that it's full name is Frankfurt am Main and that it's the financial nerve center of Germany and has an "American" skyline. I can't particularly see the American skyline, but it's a nice city nonetheless. (Apropo: I'll be heading to Mainhatten on Saturday with Amanda and Mike from Millersville to do some shopping!)

Wednesday was a day for soccer, and I'll refer you to the post below to see how that all turned out. Because of yesterday's results, the United States will be playing Ghana on Saturday. My British friend Rob and I wanted to go for a drink and discuss politics, philosophy, theology, etc. on Saturday evening, but we decided we'll forgo the discussion and watch the game. It'll be shown wherever we go for a drink anyhow, we'll be doing half of what we planned. On Sunday, the Germans play England, and I'm going to Julia's house to watch the game with her and our friend Kate. I'm planning on wearing red, yellow, and black and a hat with the German flag. Of course, since it's Wednesday, I'll be having Erdbeerschnitten. I'm getting enough for us all at Julia's house and taking it to have Kaffee (see post below) with them. It'll be quite the institution!

I'm looking forward very much to coming home in a month, but I'm not looking forward to saying goodbye to the friends that I've made here. If I could only take them along so that I could have my family and friends all in one place, it would be the best of both worlds - but alas, that is not to be...before coming home, I'm headed in Rome on July 7-11. That's less than two weeks away now...a week after that trip, I'm headed to Venice with some of the others from Millersville from July 19-22. Matteo wants to come visit us while we're there. I'm looking forward to seeing him again. He's already put in a request for Metterwurst (great spread on bread - seriously!!). After returning from Venice, I'll be in Marburg for one day to take care of a very long list of things before coming home on July 24. And of course, there is academia that has to be fitted into the cracks that are left in that travel schedule. On Monday I want to hand in a paper on Luther's hymn compositions and on Tuesday a paper about Heinrich Böll's "Anecdote for the Decrease in Work Morale." I'll also have a big test in Old Testament and have to give a presentation with another student on the Corinthians as a church community in New Testament during the week after returning from Rome. That's how the academic schedule looks for the remainder of my time here. Please keep me in your prayers for the remainder of my time here as I travel about and try to make some academic progress at the same time!

Yes, We can!!

I went to a biergarten yesterday with a contingent of other Americans - some of whom I got to know here in Marburg and others from Millersville - to watch the US vs. Algeria game of the World Cup. It was the last game in the qualifying round, and surprisingly the US was playing well this year. Normally, we are considered a poor team against the likes of other, "soccer" nations. But we were gifted a goal in our first game against England, and since, we're really picked up our game. If it wouldn't have been for that freebie goal from our good friends across the pond, we wouldn't be where we are now.

Anyhow...we went to the biergarten, and the game ran it's course of 90 minutes. Neither Algeria nor the US scored a goal in the whole game (Well, I lie. We scored a goal, but the ref wouldn't count it for the US - "offsides..."). But because of procedural stuff during the game, playtime was extended another four minutes. And then it happened!



In the first minute of additional playtime, the US scores a goal! The Americans erupted when they saw it happen. (Some beer might have gone flying too...) Screaming, shouting, clapping, laughter...it was great. It was a good moment to be an American. I was even a bit proud. Yes, we can!! The guy running the biergarten started to play "Born in the USA" a few moments after the goal - and the Americans started to join in with the chorus.

Good times. Good times. The Germans take the World Cup very seriously. They hosted it last time in 2006 and since then, they have been very patriotic about their country in matters of soccer. Last night, Germany played against Ghana. They scored too, so that means they'll advance to the next round. I went with Julia to watch the game at one of her friend's house, and we had a great time there as well. Julia and I had to take the bus to head back to Marburg, and the city was chaotic. Downtown was shut and the streets were blocked off - people were hanging out of car windows, waving German flags, blowing Vuvuzelas, playing bullhorns. Car horns honking, people screaming. You name, it was happening. Julia and I were waiting for her bus at the train station when we heard a car put on its breaks for the red light. It lost control and skidded onto the curb - sparks and all. Julia and I decided it was safer to move ourselves from the edge of the street back closer to a restaurant beside the train station. Along come the police after few minutes later to do whatever it is that they do when that happens. It looked like so many laws were being broken, the police just gave up and left it happen!

It was a good day - a US and German victory. Wouldn't it be ironic if we both proceeded to the finale?!

Kaffee mit Erdbeerschnitten!

I love to eat this for my Sunday routines here in Germany. I piece of this cake with a pot of Earl Grey is a fabulous way to spend Sunday afternoon!!

Erdbeerschnitten

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
6 eggs, separated
6 TBSP hot water
1 TSP vanilla
1 TBSP baking powder
1 pint strawberries

Preparation
Mix egg yolks with 2/3 cup sugar until foamy. Add water a little bit at a time.
Beat egg whites until peaks form, add the rest of the sugar, and continue to beat until it becomes firm and sticky.
Sift flour, vanilla, and baking powder into the egg yolk mixture. Carefully fold egg whites into the entire mixture, and pour into a baking pan fitted with paper.
Halve strawberries and divide over the batter. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.
Do not open the oven in the first 20 minutes.

A German tradition is to have Kaffee in the afternoons. Since that isn't always logistically possible for people during the week, Sundays tend be the time when people do it. It's when you sit down at about 4:00 and have a piece of cake with coffee - simple enough, I suppose. It's quite an institution here. One which we might think about adopting..!

Una visita a casa del mio amico Italiano Matteo!!

(Translation: A visit at home with my Italian friend Matteo!!)

This past Wednesday, I departed on an adventure - namely, on a little excursion to Milan, Italy to visit my friend Matteo and his family. Summed up simply, the experience was phenomenal, but I'd surmise that you all might like to know a bit more about what all Matteo and I undertook while I was on the other side of the Alps!

Adventure it was! I flew for the first and the last time with Ryanair...it's a discount airline based in Dublin, Ireland, and it's not known for it's customer service. I had a lot of stress predeparture (in Marburg!) that I had already made up my mind before even setting foot in the airport that I wasn't going to fly with Ryanair again. But anyhow...my flight was scheduled to depart at 8:35 PM from Frankfurt-Hahn, which isn't Frankfurt International Airport. From Marburg, I have to take the train to Frankfurt and then take a bus from the main train station to Frankfurt-Hahn. The bus ride is scheduled to take only one hour and forty-five minutes (That's longer than the flight from Hahn to Milano...), but I'm getting ahead of myself.

The first problem happened pre-train-departure in Marburg. I left my room - after having a comfortable morning with friends in Marburg - with plenty of time to buy a stamp and put a postcard in the mailbox at the train station. I was strolling along thinking about what Italy might be like when it hit me - I had forgotten my camera. I thought, "Well, I guess I won't have pictures of Milano," but then I thought how much I'd hate myself for that in the end, and - more importantly - how much my father would wring my neck if I didn't document every moment. So...I turned around and bolted (This I really did...) back to Studentendorf. This means something because I had already descended the Pasternakstraße - a street that goes maybe a tenth of a mile at a 90-degree angle (okay...I exaggerate a bit there, but it is very, very steep...), and I did this all carrying my backpack and pull-along suitcase...My heart felt like it was going to explode when I got to the top of the hill, and then I had to climb up the six flights of stairs to my room, grab the camera, and get back to the train station...even when I'm going quickly and am unencumbered by luggage, it takes about 20 minutes to get to the train station from my room. I had 15 minutes left...God was with me though, and at the gate to Studentendorf there was a Minicar - a sort of taxi. I jumped in and made it to the train station in time...and the train was even 5 minutes late.

Everything went smashingly to Frankfurt. I found the bus to Frankfurt-Hahn, paid my €12 ticket, and boarded. Traffic was horrible - we were already late when we picked up the remaining passengers at the second stop in Frankfurt, and the traffic only got worse as we headed toward Hahn. And then things went still farther south...the driver takes the the bus into a rest stop, gets out, and doesn't tell us on the bus what's going on. We're all already worried we're going to miss flights because of traffic, but now we're stopped for no apparent reason - at least to us, that is. Someone gets out and asks what's going on and is told that the bus ran out of water...a replacement bus came about 20 minutes later, and we made it to Hahn just as the gates were closing for my flight...there were people who were on the bus for flights whose gates had already closed, and I don't know what happened with them. I was so shook up from the excitement about being almost late that the plane ride was making me sick - the interior of a Ryanair plane is a bright yellow, and it wasn't helping things either. And then we when we were starting our initial descent into Bergamo, the plane started to hit turbulence...and I was happy I hadn't had anything to eat for a couple of hours because I was really feeling sick. I'd never felt so happy to be out of a plane as I did that day. I normally like to fly...

After that series of mishaps, I met Matteo at the airport, and he took me to his home to meet his family and drop of my stuff. We went for pizza - original Italian pizza. It was great just to talk to him again, and his family was more than gracious. I can confirm that the stereotype about Italians being gracious hosts.

The following day, Matteo and I explored the city of Bergamo, the city where Matteo actually lives. In the evening we went for a walk (taking the opportunity to eat gelato..!) around the city at night. It's quite a site from the citta alta, which translates into Oberstadt, or "upper city."

The citta alta in Bergamo, Italy
I point out what it's called in German because Marburg has an Oberstadt, which makes it somewhat special in the whole scheme of German cities. The citta alta does the same for Bergamo.

On Friday, we took the train to Milan to see Matteo's university and to see the cathedral there. The cathedral is much nicer from the outside - inside it's actually rather drab, dark, and - for a Catholic church - barren.

The cathedral in Milano, Italy
I had gelato again while in Milano before heading home to have dinner a fresco with Matteo's family and his cousin who brought - guess... - gelato(!) for dessert.

On Saturday, Matteo and I took it easy in the morning, having exhausted ourselves in Milano the day before. In the afternoon, we went to the mall in Bergamo. People come from all over Europe to go shopping in the this particular mall. While I was there, I found some nice shoes with the stamp "Made in Italy" that I might have to look up online to get myself. It'd be nice to have something "classy" for my wardrobe "Made in Italy."

Sunday was my departure and return for Germany. The flight home was uneventful - Thanks be to God! The bus trip to Frankfurt main train station and the train trip back to Marburg were as well. When I got back to my room, I was so exhausted, I took a nap for about 2 hours...(Such isn't really much of a deviation from my normal Sunday activities, but this time I really needed it!)

You can see more pictures of the trip here. Just click on the image and the next one should come up automatically!!

Having spent time staying with Matteo and his family, I can say that I have a better idea of how Italians really live. A much better idea than I would have had I stayed in a hotel or hostel. I'm blessed to have had this opportunity, and I thank Matteo and his family for their kind hospitality in welcoming me into their home!