Oberursel, Germany

Tuesday, May 29: We have arrived!

Tegel Airport

Hotel Leonardo

Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

Ku’damm area

Dinner at KaDeWe

Hello everyone.
After a long overseas flight and a change of planes in Paris, we finally arrived safe and sound at our hotel in Berlin, although a couple of our suitcases did not. (We hope those two bags will be delivered to the hotel on Wednesday.) Following a quick lunch near the hotel, we made our way to one of the most famous avenues in Berlin, the Kurfürstendamm, for some first impressions of the city. This beautiful boulevard–lined with shops, luxury boutiques, hotels, cafes and residences–was the leading commercial street in West Berlin during the Cold War period. While on the Ku’damm, the group took some time to visit the ruins of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, which was badly bombed during World War II and now stands as a tribute to peace and reconciliation. We then enjoyed some free time for shopping and exploring before regathering as a group at the Kaufhaus des Westens, or KaDeWe, the second largest department store in Europe (after Harrod’s in London). There, we had an early dinner at the store’s famous food hall, which has a huge glass winter garden overlooking the historic Wittenbergplatz. Bodies tired and bellies full, we headed back to the hotel for some much-needed sleep. Tomorrow our adventures will begin in earnest, starting with a visit to the historic government district of the city .

For now all the best from sunny and hot Berlin!
~Frau Greene

Welcome to our blog!

Frankfurt

Oberursel

Feldbergschule

This blog will serve as a record of the 2018 Cary Academy student exchange trip to Germany. We hope that you enjoy following along on our adventures as we tour Berlin and visit our friends at the Feldbergschule in Oberursel near Frankfurt. Below is a video preview of some of the sights that await us in the German capital and in our host community.

Tuesday, June 13: Last day at the Feldbergschule

Warm up game

Charades

Improv scene

Skit

Conversation with reporter

one last group photo

It’s hard to believe that today was our last day with our friends at the Feldbergschule. We spent most of the morning in a theater workshop at the school, where we performed some skits and played a few improvisational games. A member of the local press then stopped by to talk to us about our exchange experience. After school we all headed our separate ways to enjoy one final afternoon and evening with our exchange partners. We are all so grateful to our host teachers and our host families for the wonderful time we have had here in Oberursel, and we will be returning home with many fond memories of the Taunus region. Meanwhile, to our family and friends in North Carolina, we look forward to seeing you again very soon! ~Frau Greene

Monday, June 12: Tour of Goethe University in Frankfurt

Feldbergschule Oberursel

Presentations about Rhein/Main area businesses

Goethe University in Frankfurt

Goethe University main building

Our tour guide

Paternoster revolving open elevator

Goethe University campus

View of Frankfurt skyline from Goethe University campus

Goethe University

Goethe University campus

Biking home after our Goethe University tour

Get well soon, Moritz!

Coming off a busy weekend with our host families, Monday was a day for reunification. We reunited both with one another and with life in school. Stories of various weekend escapades were exchanged, moments together relived, and class together was comfortable. Even more comfortable were the activities we did. I visited Economics class (spoken in English) and English class, in both of which I had opportunities to talk to the group and help in activities, such as reading off a dialogue highlighting the importance of a business plan and what it holds. I didn’t get to speak English all day, though; next I went to German. To my surprise, the class was given an excerpt from Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House,” a book I had read earlier in the year as part of our 10th grade syllabus. From what I remember of our discussions, the German classes were more direct with their interpretations, not worrying about claiming the wrong meaning before giving their opinion. After school, the exchange group visited Goethe University. Located in Frankfurt, we were able to experience the cross section of German university and city life. However, fitting toward the common theme of our exchange activities, nothing is German without German history involved. We heard not only about the possible fields of study, cost, and schedule available to students, but we also heard much about the history of the buildings, dating back to before the Second World War. Originally the main headquarters for a huge chemical and pharmaceutical conglomerate (IG-Farben) that later became tied up in Nazi politics and produced among other things the gas used in concentration camps, the main building was re-purposed after the war as the headquarters for U.S. occupation forces and the principal location for implementing the Marshall Plan. [The U.S. Army returned the building to Germany in 1995, and it became the new site for the Goethe University in 2001.] After returning to Oberursel and making an early visit to the Brunnenfest, I went home with Cole and his partner Moritz O.; my partner was feeling ill after the university. Moritz’s house was very interesting; the house was divided into three flats, all connected by a staircase at the front like an apartment building. ~Christian S.

Sunday, June 11: Last weekend with host families

Lasagna lunch

Hessenpark

Half timber construction

Hessenpark

Saalburg

St. Ursula church

inside St. Ursula church

Steps up St. Ursula tower

View from tower of St. Ursula

View of Brunnenfest from St. Ursula tower

The day started of very slow after waking up at 11:00AM. Everyone was very tired until we got some food into our systems. We had a delicious homemade lasagna and salad for lunch made by Luke’s mother. After lunch we drove to the Hessenpark. The Hessenpark is an outdoor museum where they reconstructed old houses from all around Germany in one location so you can see how they lived in the past. It was a very cool experience and I was able to see how the older houses where made with wood, hay and mud. We also how they lived their lives, like the schooling, living situation, how they made clothing, wheels/carts, charcoal, and also how they made energy through a water mill. All the buildings where normal but the doorways were too small. I probably hit my head ten times walking in and out of the houses and up and down the stairs. They also had a market and we got drinks and bread from the baker. After we left the Hessenpark we drove past an old Roman castle named Saalburg and I snapped a quick picture. We also stopped at an old church called the St. Ursula church. At the St. Ursula church we went up these very small stairs, and I mean very small (I had to turn my feet sideways because they didn’t fit), but it was worth it! When you get to the top there is a beautiful view of Oberursel and it was cool because there was a great view of Brunnenfest. Also it was cool because you could see the skyline of Frankfurt in the background. After that we came home and ate leftovers from lunch for dinner. ~Curt S.

Saturday, June 10: Last weekend with host families

Climbing park

Brunnenfest

This morning was a very relaxing one, thankfully. Last night was a late one with Brunnenfest and everyone simply wanted to sleep this morning. After waking up, slowly, Sara (my exchange partner) and I went to a climbing park. I really had no idea what to expect since I had never been to a climbing park and since I am in a whole new place. After a ten minute car ride, we arrived. It was nothing like I had expected. Once we walked closer, the sound of children’s laughter echoed through the trees. The park was a climbing wonderland built into the trees. It was every kid’s dream. We immediately collected all the appropriate equipment, watched a short tutorial video, and hopped into the trees. There were zip lines and obstacles and even one big jump. I learned very quickly that once you chose a course, there was no turning back. Everything was made of wood and would rock if the wind blew too hard: it made it all the more exciting. Two hours and three courses later, we were exhausted and hungry. We ate our packed lunches in the car as we ventured back to Oberursel. Once we arrived back at Sara’s house, we relaxed, because climbing takes a lot out of you, surprisingly enough. We sat outside in the garden and talked about everything from school to jet lag to what I want to do with my life. After soaking up all the lovely weather, we headed to a gathering of sorts. It was a party for a bride and groom the night before their wedding. It was definitely a new experience for me. It was very casual and calm. The best part was when everyone had plates and smashed them on the ground. I’m not quite sure why they broke all the pottery, but Sara informed me that it was a tradition to do the night before the wedding for good luck. After spending some time there, Sara and I made our way to Jan’s house for a group barbecue. We had a blast! Everyone talked and laughed and ate everything. Once everyone was full, we all made our way to Brunnenfest. Brunnenfest is basically a smaller version of the state fair except it is much more picturesque. We rode rides, took pictures, and ate crepes. I had to leave early because we have a long day tomorrow, but I still had fun. Overall it was a fantastic and beautiful day. Tschüss bis Morgen! ~Lacey M.

Friday, June 9: Hessentag 2017 in Rüsselsheim

Gathering at Oberursel train station

Hessentag Festival

Hessentag festival

Beach basketball

“Oberursel Chargers” basketball team

Opel factory tour

Opel automobile factory

Opel factory tour

Rescue team demo

Brunnenfest in Oberursel

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.

Thursday, June 8: Oberursel and Frankfurt

gathering at the Oberursel Rathaus (city hall)

Mural of Oberursel

Welcome from the deputy mayor

Feldbergschule

group work in English class

Arrivial in Frankfurt

At the Frankfurt Hauptwache (historic police station)

Frankfurt Hauptwache

Stock exchange in Frankfurt

Bull market statue

Bear market statue

Goethe and the Frankfurt skyline

Commerzbank, tallest building in Germany

View from the Commerzbank men’s room

Frankfurt skyline

Frankfurt, aka Mainhattan (NYC on the Main)

Carmelite Museum

A unique statue in Frankfurt

Frankfurt old town

the Römerberg, Frankfurt’s main square

bookburning memorial

the Römer, Frankfurt’s City Hall

the Kaiserdom in Frankfurt

Frankfurt riverfront

Frankfurt riverfront with iron bridge

My exchange student and I got to school at eight o’clock this morning. Her first class was a political and economics class. In this class they had a discussion over a video the class had made. They talked about what they feel they should have done differently and the improvements they planned to make. Then we met with a member of the city council in Oberursel. This was very interesting because we got to ask questions which helped us to understand Oberursel better. We asked questions that ranged from Oberursel specific to the refugee crisis. Then we went back to school and I went to my exchange student’s last two classes. She had math and accounting. After school a group of Americans and Germans went to get ice cream before heading to Frankfurt. In Frankfurt the father of one of the German students gave us a tour of the city. We saw the stock exchange, learned about apple wine, talked about how and why Frankfurt became a large city, visited several churches, and much more. We also got to see Frankfurt from the Main river, which was beautiful. It was great to be able to spend more time in Frankfurt. After Frankfurt a group of us went back to Oberursel (some stayed behind to do more in Frankfurt) and we got dinner. Overall, it was a really fun day. ~Claudia Z.

Wednesday, June 7: Fieldtrip to Mainz

Arriving in Mainz

Mainz Cathedral

Gutenberg Museum

Gutenberg press

demonstration of Gutenberg press

Demonstration of Gutenberg press

demonstration of Gutenberg press

Gutenberg statue

Mainz Old Town

Rhine River in Mainz

Mainz

Ice cream in Mainz

Mainz

For the first half of the day, I attended class with my exchange partner. The school is quite different from Cary Academy. They way the school is set up, the setup of the classrooms, the furniture in the classroom, and the schedule are all different. Another interesting thing is that they have accounting classes, one of which I attended. Unfortunately, it was rather hard to understand everything that they spoke of during that class because I didn’t know the needed vocabulary relating to the subject. After the first two periods, we left for Mainz by train. Unfortunately, only two of the exchange partners were able to come with us. Once we got to Mainz, we had free time and all went out to eat at the same restaurant. After this we had a tour of the Gutenberg Museum where they talked about Gutenberg’s invention of the moveable type printing press. They showed us multiple books, some of which were ones that had been handwritten and others that were made using Gutenberg’s print press. They also showed us how they made colored inks and even demonstrated the use of a print press like Gutenberg’s. After touring the museum, we went around the city. We walked around in the old cathedral in Mainz, through the small Altstadt, and also went to see the Rhein/Rhine River. The cathedral was a beautiful large stone building with high ceilings and nice stained glass windows. The Aldstadt had older looking buildings which were painted a multitude of colors. The weather, thankfully, cleared up when we went to see the Rhein/Rhine River. After our hour-or-so walk around Mainz, we ended the day with a quick stop for some ice cream before taking a couple trains back home to Oberursel. ~Ceren

Tuesday, June 6: First day at the Feldbergschule

Feldbergschule Oberursel

Welcome

School tour

School lake and park

Main stairwell

School tour

Memories of Cary

School cafe

Break time

Presentation in English class

As my alarm went off at six this morning, I yearned for the few extra hours of sleep I had been used to so far on this trip. Drearily I was able to drag myself out of bed and was greeted with my first familiar breakfast this trip, Cornflakes. This was the first and only familiar thing I encountered this morning of our first day of school. Moritz, my exchange partner, lives just around an hour commute away from the Feldbergschule–something totally different than the ten-minute drive I’m used to for CA. After a few different forms of public transportation (bus and S-Bahn), I was greeted by his classmates and met the head of their school. With the group, we toured the school and were given a small reception. Afterwards we all broke off into different classes and I, accompanied by some fellow Americans, went to their English class. This was a haven of sorts because for the first time we were encouraged to speak English. During this class we presented different things ranging from sports to politics. From here, Raiden, Dunning, and I were all off to Sport (PE). This was very interesting because it is much more of a serious class in Germany, and they aren’t graded on participation, but instead graded on skill. After this class Moritz was done for the day, along with a few of the exchange students. To take advantage of this time, we hopped on the S-Bahn and went to a shopping center in Frankfurt. There, we ate a late lunch and also bought ice cream. We shopped for a little and then walked around Frankfurt. On the way back to Moritz’s house, we decided to go and watch his little brother Max play soccer. Out of no where it began to storm and Max raced us to the car. Even though everything that happened today was new, it perfectly encompasses an average exchange day: action packed and full of surprises. ~Cole