Deutsches Essen

Food to look for while in Germany

Apfelwein
 Generally, the only place you can find Apfelwein (apple wine) in Germany is in Hessen - and it's a must try if possible. So if you ever find yourself in Hessen, get the Apfelwein.

Auflauf (pl. Aufläufe)
A German casserole - with noodles, rice, potatoes or tortellini with any range of ingredients.
The best Auflauf I've had is at Café Early in Marburg. They sell it for less than €5, have a large variety of Aufläufe and they are always delicious.

Beer
Yeah, it seems pretty obvious - try the beer in Germany. Of course! But listen to me, it is a must - for cultural reasons and, well, you'll go home thinking the beers at home taste like water.

Chocolate
I know what you're thinking, you can get chocolate anywhere - but not like this chocolate. Ritter Sport and Milka brand chocolate have proved to be 10x better than any Hershey bar, not to mention how many more flavors they have - including Cookies and Cream, Cornflakes, Raisin, Hazelnut, Yoghurt, Whipped Cream, Marzipan, Chocolate Mousse and so much more. I give Germany an A+ in chocolate.

Currywurst (und pommes)
Currywurst is one of Germany's fast foods. You can find it in food trucks or at that tiny town called an Imbiss (Imbissstube - Snack Bar). Currywurst is from Berlin, but you can find it anywhere is Germany.
Currywurst is one of my favorites - and don't forget the Pommes Frites (fries). If you're really feeling German, dip your fries in Mayonnaise.

Döner kebap
Another one of my favorites is the Döner. It's a Turkish dish, but it's really more of a German thing at this point. It is similar to the Greek Gyro, but so much more. If you ever find yourself in Berlin, make sure to wait in line for a Mustafa's Gemüse Döner (vegetable Döner)  - it is to die for. My favorite, though, will always be the classic Döner.

Gummy Candy
Simply put, with the variety of Haribo, Katjes and Trolli gummy candies, you can't go wrong.
And don't forget to stop in the handmade gummy shops.

Johannisbeer and Cassis flavored everything
Johannisbeer (red current) and cassis (black current) are two of those flavors you don't find many places in America. Here, it is everywhere. Juice, candy, wine, pastries, yoghurt, etc. In fact, I say, take a trip down the juice aisle and discover all the juice flavors we don't have in America.

Maultaschen

I think the fact that my biggest dilemma right now is being homesick, but not ever wanting to leave Marburg, means that life is pretty good.

Wehrda + Mein Zimmer

In Marburg, I live in a Studentwohnheim (student dorm) in a lovely village called Wehrda. There are three buildings - 13, 15, 17 - in which most of the IUSP students live. I, personally, live on first floor 15. In Wehrda live many exchange and ERASMUS students, and in ratio not very many German students.

                         This is what the outside of the Wehrda Studentwohnheim buildings look like.

Inside, there is a kitchen on every floor, along with a bathroom and a shower for both sides of the floor (one bathroom/shower per around 10 students). There are two washing machines and a dryer in the basement for the whole building to use. The rooms are nicely sized - roughly smaller than dorm rooms at an American university, but for one person instead of two.

The room even has a nice big closet and a sink, with medicine cabinet. The sink has been a very nice luxury.

All-in-all, not too shabby.

Outside, there is a nice bonfire area. My friends and I have put it to good use, it's a great hang-out spot.

=

Sorry

So if any of you have tried to keep up with me and my adventures while studying abroad, I guess you may have noticed that I haven't updated it since... twenty... five... days... before I left. I suppose I assumed I would have more time and motivation to update this blog regularly. Blogging seems pretty easy, until you pressure yourself to get it done, and make it perfect. It became a daunting task and I kept procrastinating. What I've realized about myself is that I'm not a writer. I'd love to be, but it really does not come easy to me.  I express myself best through what is seen - art, beautiful things, especially photography. I realized I didn't need to write long, boring blog posts including every little detail. I can express how my time in Germany is going the best way for me, lots and lots of photos. With captions, of course. And when the time comes, maybe a little writing.


So, I hope to update you all on the experiences I have had thus far, and the many more in my remaining month and a half and I apologize for keeping you waiting. If there... were any of you.

Contact Information

 UW-Whitewater Email: DohertyGM17@uww.edu

Skype Username: foreignlogophile

My Facebook profile: Click Here*
*Note that I am picky about who I allow to be my friend on Facebook - meaning that if I do not know you, or who you are, you will not be my Facebook friend.

My Tumblr: Message me privately for my URL, if interested.

Did you know...

I found this on the IUSP Marburg website. Some interesting little facts about Marburg:

"Marburg

Marburg is famous for its medieval churches, especially the Elisabethkirche, one of the first purely Gothic churches built, as well as for the castle.
Take the elevator to the old city center.  In Marburg this is called the Oberstadt, which literally translates as the upper city.  The Oberstadt is a labyrinth of narrow, cobblestone streets lined with picturesque, well-preserved samples of 17th and 18th century frame houses (Fachwerkhäuser). Walking through Marburg's historical center is like travelling into the past.

The city is stimulated by an infinite and spirited source of creativity and ideas - and that in a broad range; from classical music to theatre, from museums and archives to open-air festivals, from literary circles and socio-cultural centers to the prize-winning movie cinema scene.

Marburg is located in central Germany, in the middle of the state of Hessen. Frankfurt am Main is only one hour away to the south, and from there one can connect to virtually anywhere in Germany and the rest of Europe, either by train or airplane. The Frankfurt am Main Airport is a major international airport. In terms of passenger traffic, Frankfurt is by far Germany's busiest airport and the third busiest airport in Europe. It serves virtually all international destinations, so Marburg is only a short journey away from major European cities such as Prague, Barcelona, Paris, Brussels, London, Oslo, etc.

Did you know that ...

• Marburg has more stairs in its alleys than in its houses?
• Marburg does not have a university, Marburg is a university?
• the most beautiful illustrations of the Grimm Brother Fairy Tales were completed in Marburg?
• some of Marburgs houses can be reached only through a skylight?"

I leave in just 25 days! I'm getting really excited (and rather nervous).

Your Questions Answered (FAQ)

What is your name?
Georgianne (Please, call me Georgie) Doherty

Where do you study?
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

What is your major?
German Education

Minor?
Spanish Education, Theatre

Where are you studying abroad?
Philipps-Universität (university ) Marburg, in the Bundesland(state) of Hessen in Germany.
(This is the part where you all nod your head knowingly, but I know you may need a little help. If so, please proceed to the next question.)

So, where is Marburg exactly? 
A map will explain it best.

What program are you doing this through?
IUSP (Internation Undergraduate Study Program) Marburg
Here's a link to their website: IUSP Marburg

How did you find out about this program?
My school has a Hessen-Wisconsin Exchange program and IUSP Marburg is the most popular program with in the Hessen-Wisconsin Exchange program. The other German students rave about the program and it is the program my German Professor, Matthew Lange, suggested - out of all the Universities in Hessen.

What will you be studying while you're there?
German Studies - When I get there, there will be two 6 week long courses. One is an intensive German language course at the level I test into. The other is an intensive German culture course. After those six weeks, I will be taking two other courses. I am planning on taking a Psychology course entitled "Intercultural Competence" and a German Literature course.

Why study German?
I love foreign languages! I started out with Spanish my freshman year of high school. I did so well and loved it so much that I decided to try the other languages at my school. My junior year, I started German and French and continued with Spanish. My German teacher was my favorite and the German language quickly became my favorite. I still love to learn other languages, though!

Have you been to Europe before?
Yes, I've traveled to Ireland with my family in 2006, the summer before my 8th grade year.

Can we look forward to a lot of photos?
Yes! I'm very into photography and will be taking lots of photos. I recently bought my first DSLR Camera - it is a (used, but in good condition) Canon EOS 40D with a 18-125mm lense. I'm very excited to put it to good use in Europe.
I will also be bringing my small digital camera for those days when I don't want to lug around a big DSLR. My digital camera is a Canon SD850 IS Digital Elph.

When are you leaving?
My flight leaves on February 24th, 2013 and I arrive on the morning of February 25th, 2013.

So do you take classes in Whitewater until you leave?
No, I will be in my hometown working and making as much money as I can before I leave.

When do you come back?
I will be traveling with my family after the semester ends on June 16th, 2013, so I will return in late June/early July.