Ausflug to the Sea

Trip Start May 25, 2008

Trip End Jul 30, 2008

Loading Map

Map your own trip!

Flag of Germany Lindau, Bavaria, Germany
Monday, June 23, 2008

This past weekend was another exciting little adventure. All of the foreign exchange students through the Berufsakadamie were invited to an Ausflug (field trip, vacation) to Lindau, Germany and Bregenz, Austria. There were twelve of us in all, not counting our ever-patient program coordinator: the five Americans in the Villingen-Schwenningen area, two more through Webster in the Heidenheim area, four Russian girls, and one French guy. The mix of languages was fantastic. We tended to operate in English with a lot of German mixed in, but of course plenty of Russian and some French graced our communications.

Once we finally starting checking out Lindau on Saturday morning, it was great. It was, however, super hot and sunny out, but I survived the weekend with only minor sunburns. This weather was quite unlike the past week (or today), which has been fairly cloudy and rainy and cool. Anyway, we toured the city, walked around a lot, and then took a boat to Bregenz, which is in Austria but just a short trip across the Bodensee (literally, "bottom sea", perhaps due to its location at the bottom of Germany, but known as Lake Constance). You could look across the lake and see Switzerland, too. In Bregenz we took a cable car up one of the mountains and walked around the peak. Great view. It was really cool being at the convergence of three countries (and I think Liechtenstein wasn't far, too).

We came back to Lindau to eat and find a place to watch the Russia-Netherlands soccer game. To our general surprise, Russia won. I still find it strange that I actively avoid watching sports games in America but somehow mildly enjoy the European Championship games here. Part of it is probably that my host family watches the games a lot, but still.

Sunday we spent the day swimming in the Bodensee, and although the weather was hot and the water cold, it was fun.

My job continues to be fairly good; I'm just happy to be programming. My host family continues to be very kind and helpful, but my host-brother Alex leaves for America early Thursday morning, and after that things might get a bit quieter. The food is still great; I've had a bunch of different vegetarian offerings and none have disappointed (except for some bacon I caught in my potatoes my first week here). The fake meat offerings here are great, the vegetables are great, the spätzle is great, and every form of potato they make here (pancake, french fry, boiled, etc.) is fantastic.

On another note, I turned twenty-one last week. I had some fantastic fake sausage, I played on a trampoline with my host brother and nieces, and I had a Warsteiner, one of the best beers I've tasted yet. Funny, though, that turning twenty-one has no special significance here... only in America. Doesn't matter, though, it was a pleasant day.