Oberursel, Germany

Friday, June 1: From Berlin to Frankfurt

Berlin Olympic Stadium

Walkway to Olympic Stadium

Berlin Olympic Stadium

With our tour guide at the Olympic Stadium

Braving the automatic public toilets outside the stadium

We started our final day in Berlin with a tour of the Olympic Stadium, which today serves as both a historical monument and the home of the Berlin Hertha soccer team. Then, after a quick lunch, we loaded our luggage onto a bus and headed to the airport for our flight to Frankfurt. Unfortunately, take-off was delayed due to thunderstorms , and we ended up arriving an hour late in Frankfurt, but at least this time around all of our luggage traveled with us. And waiting just outside the baggage claim were all of our host families, smiling and waving welcome signs as we came through the automatic doors. Frau Burgbacher and I were a little sad to say good-bye to the students, but it was easy to see that they were all in very good hands and excited to begin their homestays with their partners from the Feldbergschule. We are all looking forward to the next 10 days in Oberursel, and starting tomorrow, I will turn the storytelling back over to the students.

For now, all the best to our families and friends back home!
~Frau Greene

Thursday, May 31: Exploring East Berlin

Berlin Wall Memorial-Bernauerstraße

Berlin Wall Memorial – Bernauerstraße

Berlin Wall up close

much needed water

Ampelmannladen

Berlin Cathedral

Lustgarten

Museum Island

Lunch near the Hackescher Markt

Alexanderplatz

Nikolaiviertel

TV tower

Atop the TV tower

Escape tunnel tour

Group dinner

It’s been another great day in the German capital! We started things off this morning with a visit to the Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse, an open air exhibit where we were able to view a large section of the wall and see exactly how it physically and ideologogically divided the city from 1962 to 1989. We then headed back to the historic center of Berlin for a sightseeing stroll down Unter den Linden, the grand boulevard that runs from the Brandenburg Gate to the City Palace and links numerous city landmarks. Along the way, we decided to pop in to the Ampelmannladen, a store with products featuring the whimsical characters that appear on pedestrian crossing lights in East Berlin. Other stops included the Humboldt University, the Bebelplatz, the Berlin Cathedral, the Nikolaiviertel, and the huge Alexanderplatz, where we enjoyed some coffee and cake in the revolving restaurant high atop the TV tower. Then it was time for our much-anticipated tour of the escape tunnels built by citizens trying to flee from East Berlin after the erection of the Berlin Wall. From there, it was on to dinner together as a group at a small local restaurant, where we sampled some traditional German specialties like Spätzle and Flammkuchen. It’s hard to believe that our time in Berlin is coming to an end, but we’re all looking forward to reuniting with our friends in Oberursel on Friday. (And one of us is hoping at long last to be reunited with his suitcase, as well.)

Für heute alles Gute und Liebe aus Berlin!
~Frau Greene

Wednesday, May 30: Bundestag und Impro-Theater

Brandenburg Gate

Metro station at the Brandenburg Gate

Organ grinder at Brandenburg Gate

Brandenburg Gate

Holocaust Memorial

Time for a pretzel

Reichstag building

Entering the Reichstag building

Observation gallery at the Bundestag

Bundestag assembly room

Bundestag eagle

Glass dome of Bundestag seem from assembly room

View from the roof of the Reichstag building

Heading for the glass dome of the Reichstag

Lunch overlooking the Spree

Studying the metro map

Topography of Terror exhibit

a section of the Berlin Wall

souvenir shopping

Outside the Distel Theater

Constantin gets his prize.

We had a very busy day in Berlin today, starting at the iconic Brandenburg Gate. From there we walked to the Holocaust Memorial, and then it was off to the historic Reichstag building for a program arranged for us through the office of Markus Koob, the Bundestag representative from Oberursel. There, we had a chance to visit the Bundestag observation gallery, meet with a member of Mr. Koob’s staff, and go up into the glass dome to enjoy a panoramic view of Berlin. We were then treated to lunch in an ultramodern government office building overlooking the Spree River. Our next stop was the “Topography of Terror” documentation center, where we learned about the rise of the Third Reich on the grounds of the former Gestapo and SS headquarters. After a quick stop for dinner on the Potsdamer Platz, we finished the day with an improv performance at the Distel Theater, where Constantin won a prize for providing the best prop for the evening—his phone charger.

Normally, a student would be writing this post, but our days in Berlin are so packed that we thought it best to let the students get their sleep while we’re here without expecting anyone in the group to stay up extra late writing for the blog. Instead, I will keep you updated over the next few days with photos and a brief description of our activities, and the student reports will begin once we arrive in Oberursel, starting with three students sharing their reflections on their experiences in Berlin. We hope everyone back home is on board with this plan to keep the group well rested and engaged.

Viele liebe Grüße von uns allen!
~Frau Greene

PS: Alas, we’re still missing one suitcase, but we hope that we can retrieve it from the airport first thing tomorrow morning. Frau Burgbacher and I are very proud of the affected students for dealing with this unfortunate situation with such good humor and grace.

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.