Hello Lovely Readers!
This time I am happy to say that I am posting a blog entry within three days of our last port in Hamburg, Germany. I really pushed to finish my readings and assignments so I would have a chance to journal, Email, and blog. We are now in Antwerp, Belgium and we arrived yesterday around 5 or 6PM. It is definitely difficult to look out the window and see a city that we cannot visit until tomorrow morning. But, we do need to have a certain amount of class days. We also left Hamburg later than I was expecting. I assumed we would leave at 8PM on Sunday but we didn't leave port until 6AM Monday morning. So is ship life. Lots of flexibility is required. Otherwise, things have been going really well here! I am often busy with reading assignments but not so much so that I am missing out on fun events. There is always something going on, whether it is club gatherings, socials, seminars, meetings or meals. I have a field lab the first day, so tomorrow, in Brussels. I will be visiting the World Health Organization and learning about differences in stress sources that exist around the world. I will learn about what factors influence coping skills and how the WHO is forming solutions to combat various global health issues. I am really looking forward to it. The lab will last for about 8 hours and then during the evening I will be spending time with my cabin mate, Laura, and some friends to celebrate her birthday! On Friday Laura and I will be going on the SAS trip to Paris for two nights. I am really excited! We will then meet up with the ship in our fourth port, Le Havre, on Sunday. I will probably spend the day exploring the city. The final day in that port will be spent visiting the Cliffs of Etretat. Anyway, that is what will be happening this weekend. Right now I will talk about my amazing time in Hamburg!
1) Interacting with the Locals
When people think about a city, I am sure a lot would imagine a place with people rushing off to their destinations, always in a hurry. They may also imagine people absorbed in their own bubbles who are inward and not outwardly friendly. Maybe these people would seem unapproachable when you needed to ask for help. At least for me, this is what I imagine when I think of a city. I know my personal vision may be colored because I am from a town, rather than a big city. When I have visited cities like LA or Denver, I have encountered this sort of atmosphere. This is not to diminish the fact that cities are full of diversity, excitement, culture and art. But for the purpose of explaining what Hamburg was for me, I thought it would be worth mentioning my impressions of what a city generally is from my own experiences. I have visited Hamburg before, but that was over five years ago and my memories of it were foggy. One thing that stood out to me about Hamburg was the friendliness of the people I had the chance to interact with. As I walked along the street I would often have a smile on my face and that smile would frequently be returned. People just seemed a lot friendlier here.
When I did interact with people they were kind and helpful. One example was when I was trying to figure out how to get back to the ship using the U-Bahn. I was poring over the map and a man approached me and asked me if I needed help in German. I tried to reply that I didn't speak very much German but then he switched to English. He directed me to the other side and was happy to assist me. I was a little taken aback because I am not used to people approaching me and asking me if I need help with directions in such a friendly tone. I also asked another individual for directions and he was really helpful because our group was somewhat lost. One final example occurred when I visited the Deutsche Post, or the post office. I was sending a larger item and wasn't sure how the process of shipping worked. I was able to find a man who was kind enough to assist me. He got me a box and I started to work on assembling the box and filling out the customs form. One of the other clerks ended up bringing me newspaper to pack the box with so this item would not break (I cannot say what it is because it is a gift). It was so nice of him, especially since he didn't have to do it.
I observed a lot of the students on the ship with similar sentiments. Many soon realized that the stereotypes they had were off base. I realized that as long as you try to speak German, you would get positive responses. The small moments I had talking to people meant a lot to me, and I will carry them with me. On the front of my journal it says "It is the little moments that make life big." How true this was for me in Hamburg. :)
2) Serendipity and the Chocolate Factory
One of my favorite experiences happened on Saturday as I was running errands. Something that was stressed in my anthropology class was to try to be a traveler rather than a tourist. If you are a traveler, you are more likely to have a more enriching experience than you would as a tourist. As a traveler, you are more likely to be free from a set itinerary and therefore have the opportunity to have special and unique encounters with locals. My professor then listed off ways in which we could become travelers. One piece of advice that stood out to me was "look for serendipity." Prior to this experience I did not really understand what that meant, and little did I know what waited around the corner for me that Saturday afternoon. A few months ago I was looking up cool things to do in Hamburg. One of the top items on the list was to visit the Hachez chocolate factory. I made plans to ask Adelina, my German Exchange partner from high school, about it but I kept forgetting.
Anyway, on Saturday I was in the city and had completed all of my errands. I began to head off towards Hafencity where I planned to grab a bite to eat. I tried to follow the path I had traveled the previous day with Addi but got a little turned around because the buildings all looked very similar. I was walking down the street and saw a gold sign in the distance. I thought I would go and investigate. The sign said Chocoversum on it and I wondered what it was. I walked up to the window and saw different chocolate products on display. It was then I began to make a connection. That realization solidified when I walked in and realized that this was the chocolate factory that I wanted to see. It was a complete accident that I ended up there but like I said, it was one of my best experiences. I noticed that the next tour was scheduled in fifteen minutes and I decided it would be worth it to buy a tour ticket. I am so glad I did. Even though the whole tour was in German, I was able to glean a lot from it. I learned all about the chocolate making process from start to finish. I even got to sample along the way as Anna showed us the different machines and stages of chocolate processing.
The best part of this tour was when we got the chance to build our own chocolate bar! We got to choose three ingredients to sprinkle on top of a mold filled with melted chocolate. After we did that the chocolate was refrigerated and cooled while we finished the tour. Some of the toppings they had were gummy bears, white and dark chocolate chips, cocoa nibs, chili flakes, salt, pepper, cornflakes, chocolate candies, hazelnut pieces and coconut. After she gave directions I ended up observing other people in our group before making mine just in case I had missed something. My final chocolate bar had dark chocolate chips, hazelnut pieces and little candies that resembled M&M's. It wasn't my most beautiful creation, but it was still a blast.
The tour lasted a little over an hour and was worth every penny. I viewed this experience as a moment of serendipity because it was unplanned and it turned out to be meaningful and special. It was not meaningful purely based on the fact that I got to sample chocolate but rather it was meaningful because I got to challenge myself. It was not easy to pay attention for that long, trying to figure out what was being said in a foreign language. I was happy to find at the end that I had learned a lot. It was special because I felt it immersed me in the German culture more than if I had gone to a famous landmark. It gave me a vessel to interact with others. And of course, it was fun! After this experience I realized the importance of wandering and getting out of your comfort zone. I practiced in Germany, since I was more comfortable, and now I am ready to try it out in a country I am unfamiliar with. I know it will be just as rewarding, if not more. The best things are often unplanned.
3) Spending Time With Old and New Friends
As I mentioned previously, I have been to Germany before. The last time I traveled to Germany was in high school through a German Exchange Program at my school. I spent a month in a small village about 30 minutes outside of Hamburg called Elmshorn. I was paired up with Addi. When I first found out that I was visiting Hamburg on Semester at Sea I immediately emailed her to see if we could meet up. She actually works in Hamburg, which was perfect. We made plans to see each other on Friday. It was great to see her again after four years. It didn't seem like it was that long ago! We spent the afternoon going around the city and seeing some really cool things. Addi showed me where she worked and lived. I felt that spending time with her allowed me to have an insiders look at the city, and it was much more personal. We went to the top of St. Michael's Church where the panoramic view of Hamburg was spectacular. She took me to a special candy shop that I may not have visited otherwise. We also took a photo on the same bridge we had taken a photo five years prior. It was a beautiful, sunny day which made it ideal for walking around outside. Later in the afternoon we visited her favorite ice cream shop and I enjoyed a really amazing scoop of apple vanilla ice cream. I even for the chance to see where she lives! By the way, Addi has an adorable apartment! :) And the area she lives in is amazing! There were so many green trees and cute little shops.
After getting to her apartment I got to meet her boyfriend, Matthias, for the first time. He is such a great guy and is super nice. I am so glad they found each other!
We went to dinner at this adorable Italian restaurant. I had spaghetti Bolognese and it was really delicious. The white bread reminded me of my Dad's bread at home, and for a moment or two I got a little homesick. Following dinner we walked to the Alster Lake and watched the sunset. It was cool to see all of the sailboats and paddle boats. There were a lot more than I expected. The Alster Lake is actually man-made. Throughout the entire day I got to connect with an old friend and meet a new friend. It was one of the highlights of my trip as well. So good to spend time with them and learn about the city they live in. Later in the evening they took me to a trendy cocktail bar that had an amazing strawberry margarita with real fruit puree! Addi and Matthias ordered cocktails that came with a mountain of fruit on top. It had pineapple, grapes, pieces of melon and a leaf. I am sad I did not get a picture of it.
As you know, I spent Saturday on my own. On Sunday I got to see these two again for a few hours before the ship left. They took me through this really cool underground river tunnel that was lined with white tile and small stone sea life carvings on the walls. In the old days, cars used to travel through the tunnel to quickly reach the other side of the city. They used special elevators for the cars, and I got to ride in one. It was also cool to see the MV Explorer from the other side of the river. We then headed to Schanze to visit a café. It was an adventure for all of us because none of us had been to this café. It turned out to be a hidden gem. From the outside it did not look like much but once you got inside it was a whole different story. It was super cozy, with mint green walls and mismatched wooden furniture. There were fresh lilies and other flowers and two display cases. They had the most artistic cupcakes I have ever seen! We ordered a sampler tray so we could taste all the different flavors. I also enjoyed a wonderful cup of coffee. The cupcakes were heavenly. There is no other way to describe it! Our last stop before returning was a Turkish restaurant where I got to enjoy my second Doener of the trip! It tasted just like I remembered and was of course, delicious!
I had such a great time with Addi and Matthias. They were both so generous and it enhanced my overall experience greatly. Without them, I would not have seen or learned as much. It goes to show that interacting with someone from the country gives you a gift you would not receive from a simple city tour. I am so thankful and appreciative.
4) Schanze
Now, I know I already talked about the cupcake shop and Turkish restaurant I visited. But, there is obviously more to this area of the city than food. I really enjoyed exploring Schanze because it was so different than any other part of Hamburg. Addi and Matthias explained that it is a place where exhibitions often occurred and a place where young people lived. When I first got to Schanze I was a little surprised because there was a lot of graffiti. It was on most buildings and it was usually writing. Sometimes there would be a graffiti poster. Also, on some of the buildings, posters were plastered all over the walls. It was a different kind of beauty. I enjoyed it because it seemed like this part of the city was a cultural hub. Also, protests often happen in this area, and you could almost feel the energy in the air. I thought it was cool! There were a ton of restaurants and you could find any type of cuisine you desired, whether it is Asian, Italian, Turkish or Indian. There were also several shops. One of the coolest buildings I encountered was one near the train station. It was all gray but it was also in the shape of a train. I thought that was very unique. Even though I did not spend more than an hour and a half here, I loved it!
5) Cultural Comments
One cool thing I noticed in Hamburg was the similar tradition of placing a lock on the bridge to symbolize unbreakable love. It immediately made me thing of Moscow and the Wedding Bridge. I thought it was really cool to observe a cross-cultural practice. The predominant color of the locks I saw in both Hamburg and Moscow was red, which is a universal color symbol of love and romance.
Another thing I took away from Hamburg was to never ever take for granted free public restrooms! In Germany you often had to pay 0,50 Euros to use the restroom. I think there is a trade off though. In the US you can use the restroom for free, but they are often pretty dirty. In Germany, you have to pay, but the restrooms are much cleaner.
Another fun experience I had was visiting the McDonalds in Hamburg near the Reeperbahn. They had a bacon and egg McMuffin and it was amazing. I don't know why we don't have it in the US. Now, I am not visiting McDonalds because I want to eat it but I have an assignment that requires me to visit 3 different McDonalds on 3 continents to comment on the differences and similarities between those locations and ones in the US. At this location their McFlurry flavors were chocolate brownie, strawberry, caramel cookie, and smartie. There was no similarity with the US from this point. The McDonalds was also really upscale. It was just really fun to visit something so familiar and to see so many differences. It was another highlight of my trip.
One piece of advice I learned on the first night when something we had planned to witness did not work out is to not disregard the planning fallacy. It always takes longer than you think it will, and when you are traveling, you should plan for it. This holds true for returning to the ship early to avoid dock time. We wanted to go see a light show but found out pretty soon that it was really far away. By the time we got there the show ended and we had been misinformed because we thought the show began at 9:30 instead of 9PM. We all had to laugh a little at our small misfortune. On the flip side, we got a lot of exercise.
Another quick observation I had is that Germans really do follow the rules. A lot of things are based on the honors system. For example, you could very easily hop on a train without actually buying a ticket. However, if you do get caught, it is 40 Euros. In Russia, Olga said that the stereotype of Americans is that we do not ever steal anything and always pay for merchandise. In Germany, I heard many students pressed their luck and didn't buy tickets and of course, got caught. I just thought it was kind of interesting. Many people perceive Americans as rule followers. Compared to Germans though, we sort of pale. Another example was every time I was at a stoplight, you never saw a German cross the street, even if the coast was clear, when there was a red sign. They always waited until the light turned green. Those are some of the fun cultural differences I can remember as of right now.
I had such a blast in Germany!! I almost wish we could have stayed there just a bit longer. I am very excited for the upcoming ports though. I know the ports in Africa will be challenging in a different sense, and that excites me! When I first visited Germany as a junior in high school, I experienced a high amount of culture shock and even, admittedly some feelings of ethnocentrism. This time, however, was a completely different story. It is crazy how much you grow and change in five years. Both times in Germany I had very enriching experiences. I got to live in a village and spend time in the city. If I had to choose anywhere in the world to live, besides somewhere in the US, I would definitely choose Germany. I am lucky to have such a great friend in Addi. This time I really tried to focus on experiencing every moment and being bold. It worked out quite well, I think.
There is one last thing I wanted to mention about ship life. After we spend time in port, we have post-port debriefings. During these meetings students get a chance to share stories that impacted them. One of the most striking things I heard at this debriefing was from a student leading the meeting. He said that we had been given a great gift in Semester at Sea. Instead of viewing it as a gift for us, he encouraged us to see it as a chance to build a gift for someone else. I thought it was really inspiring. I hope that somehow my time on Semester at Sea will impact those around me through the stories I tell. I want to give back more than what I have been given. Already, I see so many changes in myself. Who knows what will happen after the voyage or where life will take me? I know that by the end I will be a new woman with so many stories to share, and a beautiful gift to give.
Sending love and hugs,
Jessica
P.S. Photos will be posted in the next entry!
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