We began the day by traveling as a group to Hessentag, an annual celebration held in the German state of Hessen. We took a train to the nearby city of Rüsselsheim where it was being held. The festivities began with a beach basketball tournament, where members of the exchange group were able to compete with local German teams. After the tournament, we were given a couple of hours to eat, walk around, and enjoy the festival. Despite a little bit of rain, we had lunch at some of the food stands there at the festival. Many of us had fries, or Fritten, with various toppings on them. Many students also road the Ferris wheel that was there, giving us a view of the city. Towards the end of our stay there, some of the exchange group listened in on a brief lecture by a British professor about the functionality of our brains. We then went to an Opel factory, which produces Opel cars. We began the tour by looking at a warehouse of some of their old models. These models included everything from luxury cars from the 1950s to race cars with wings. After we got to see the cars on display, we went to a different part of the factory, where many firemen had set up some of their equipment. One of the firemen gave us a tour of a special rescue team truck, as well as letting us examine the equipment they use of a daily basis. Once we left the Opel factory, we prepared for Brunnenfest. Brunnenfest is a tradition in Oberusel, where the town gathers in the city’s historical center for a celebration. There, we had the opportunity to ride rides you might find at a fair, as well as try some traditional German food. Despite having a lot of activities, today was pretty alright. ~Matthew S.
Excellent work, Matthew. Looks like a fun day.